Marc Delienne ‘Le Petit Nat’ Pétillant Rosé NV

Location: France, Beaujolais

Winemaker: Marc Delienne

Grapes: Gamay

Soil: sand, granite

Winemaking: hand-harvested and sorted, pressed, vinified with natural yeasts in concrete

From us at M&L: ‘Le Petit Nat’ is a pale pink in the glass with delicate aromas of pink apple, bosc pear, marzipan and dried apricot; fresh pink flowers and citruses on the palate, impressively lightweight and delicate. Drink with a variety of light, fresh cheeses.

From the Producer: Marc Delienne bought a property in Fleurie in January 2015 to create his new business there. A quickly built vat, the conversion to organic is immediately started in order to acquire organic certification as soon as possible.

On soils that are mainly sandy or loamy-sandy from primary rocks (granites) or old alluvial deposits, with sometimes very stony cover and shallow to medium depth, the vines, aged 40 to over 80 years, are planted at the density of 11,000 vines/ha. The traditional goblet pruning is respected here although the vine is managed in such a way as to significantly increase the height of the vegetation. Regular, shallow tillage, special care given to seasonal vegetation and the practice of biodynamics are essential characteristics of cultivation at the estate.

The vinifications are carried out gently and as naturally as possible. It is with the whole harvest, after rigorous sorting, that the concrete vats are filled, without adding yeast or chaptalisation. Daily pumping over is not supported for extractions without excess. The fermentations are short, the wines buried, for the most part, as soon as the pressings have been carried out.