Forest wines® Les Vignes des Enfants 2019, Anders Frederik Steen & Anne Bruun Blauert – 9420340625698

ORGANIC / NATURAL / VEGAN / LOW SULPHITE

From a beautiful parcel of Petite Sirah planted over three hundred metres above sea level. The bush vines are planted over a complex terroir of clay, limestone and marnes bleues and the fruit is destemmed and fermented on the skins for ten days, before being pressed to old barriques for four years of rest. 2019 was a particularly warm, dry year, making this a raw, savoury and deep wine, with oxidative notes wound up in layers of black fruit, bitter herbs and spice.

Anders Frederik Steen & Anne Bruun Blauert, the creative minds behind these super-minimal-intervention wines in the Ardèche region of southeast France, bring a touch of magic to winemaking. Anders, once a chef-turned-sommelier with notable stints at Copenhagen powerhouses Noma, Relæ and Manfreds, transitioned to winemaking in 2013. Focused on a pure and natural expression of the grapes, Anders takes an organic and biodynamic approach, refusing to be confined by tradition. His wines express unique characters, a result of non-interventionism, extended maceration, and unconventional techniques, including his refusal to interfere in any way in the vinification process. This risky and courageous approach gives the couple the freedom and courage to craft exceptional wines, emphasising quality over quantity. Each cuvée, showcased with minimalist labels, is a poetic manifestation of the grapes, the terroir, and the couple themselves. 

Origin: Ardèche, Rhone, France
Vintage: 2019
Grape variety: Petite Sirah
Food pairing: Bold foods, red meat, BBQ dishes, aged cheeses
Bottle size: 75cl
ABV: 14.5%