Le Fay d’Homme

All of us have had a tough 18 months. Vincent had had a tough 6 years. Here's his vintage report card...
2016: 75% loss due to frost
2017: 75% loss due to frost
2018: good vintage
2019: 50% loss due to frost
2020: good vintage (impacted by Covid)
2021: 90% loss due to frost

And yet he and his family push on. In the vineyards, the work has been to do whatever it takes when the frost hits. Electrical warming cables were installed in the Cot vineyard at great expense (thankfully they worked this Spring). 'Le gel' has burned for so many nights. In past Springs it has worked just enough to save some of the buds. This Spring it did not. And throughout this half decade of stress, the Caille's have continued to push forward with their organic and biodynamic farming.

Despite all of this stress, the Caille's have continued to push the quality forward. Like all great vignernons, that work is chiefly done in the vineyards. In the middle of this six year period they received their biodynamic certification from Demeter. And they have brought more and more of their holdings from non-certified organic status to certified organic status.

This Fall, we will see an inbound of the full release of their cru Muscadet: Monnieres, Gorges, Clos de Fevrie, Fief de Seigneur, and Fief de Coteaux. We will also see the Vin de Pays Loire Atlantique rouges bottlings: Gamay, Cot, Cabernet Franc, and Arbouriou...and some other fun releases as well. But, before we do, this week we are receiving the latest release of X Bulles, Vincent's sparkling Melon de Bourgogne. X Bulles is a methode ancestrale sparkling wine that is crafted from entirely estate fruit. The terroirs are gneiss and orthogneiss for the Melon, and gabbro for the Cot. The primary fermentation is via native yeasts, and the wine then sees a yeast addition and is bottled in October. It was held in bottle until March and then disgorged.

It is not a rose, yet there is an ever so slight perception of color- an idea of orangeness, perhaps- coming from the 10% Cot. Overall it is a wine of fresh salinity and stone fruits and minerals. It drinks of its close proximity to the Atlantic. It is also a wine of celebration- for a family and estate that continue to work and to grow despite the pressure of Mother Nature. X Bulles is a fitting wine for us all as we also persevere and grow forward.