Rustic Natty Red

With the early days of spring finally upon us, we’ve been craving crunchy-yet-rustic reds that, when served with a chill, pair perfectly with the moderate weather (and longer days!) ahead.

While certain regions—think Loire Valley and Beaujolais—are often our go-to picks for finding fun, chillable natty reds, there are so many other off-the-beaten-path regions and varieties to discover. Enter this gem from Stéphane Lucas, produced in the Côtes du Tarn appellation in South West France.

Stéphane farms just 0.77 hectares of vines that yield two small-production cuvées, and La Papillon d’Orphée is one of them (note, he does indeed purchase some grapes from neighbors, which helps to beef up his annual production numbers). However, his entire production is dedicated to Braucol, an old local variety otherwise known as Fer Servadou.

In the vines, Stéphane is a fervent believer in organic farming, and he also implements biodynamic principles. All vineyard work is done by hand, and cover crops such as legumes and grains are cultivated between rows. Papillon d’Orphée undergoes a short maceration prior to native yeast fermentation and is aged for 10 months in steel.

On the palate, the wine is flavor packed, crunchy, and offers an ever-so-slight grip – think of it like your favorite Cabernet Franc from Chinon, but with more earthy, tart fruit flavors but less tannins. It’s rustic and natty, yet also very bright and clean—and at just 11.5% ABV, the wine is perfect for sipping with a slight chill on warmer evenings.

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Cheers!