MCF Rare Wine
A Future Cult Natural Producer...I think...
The other day, a good customer of mine came by to grab a couple of bottles that he'd ordered and, as per usual when he comes by, we shot the sh*t about wine for a while.
Also per usual, the conversation turned towards its usual 'lamentation' stage, where we chew over the fact that, nowadays, you have two, maybe three vintages before a great new producer gets discovered and you can no longer get them.
We were speaking of Burgundy in that convo, but this phenomenon goes well beyond the realm of the storied regions like Burgundy or Piedmont or Champagne these days.
Case in point, today's fantastic producer, La Baladeuse. This project is the creation of Fanny Daher, cousin of Guillaume Lefevre of Domaine Sulauze. Although based in Provence (all vintages thus far having been made at Sulauze), the fruit for these wines comes from like-minded farmers around the Languedoc and the Rhône.
The reason I mention the whole get-em-while-you-can phenomenon above is because, being tied to a name like Sulauze gives Fanny's wines an instant buzz about them.
Once people taste them, though, they're highly likely to rocket to the moon, I reckon.
The name 'La Baladeuse' (The Wanderer) is a nod to how she, well, wanders the land to find great farmers to collaborate with, and each wine she creates is totally unique and insanely delicious.
Her Banzai Blanc 2022 is one of the wildest wines you'll encounter, almost hard to wrap your mind around. She direct presses Grenache Noir and then macerates Ugni Blanc in it. Yes, you read that correctly, an orange wine of sorts, but one that uses one kind of juice and another kind of grapes to soak in it. It's bright, zippy, aromatic and, frankly, irresistible.
The pet nat La Petillante 2022 is a paradox of sorts. It's lively, wildly floral and has a nice yeasty body to it, but that's before the very dry, palate-cleansing finish. Kinda the ultimate aperitif wine...
The lovely Copinages/Crustaces Blanc 2002 is a fantastic white made of Terret Bourret and Picpoul and, as the name suggests, is, in its briny, crisp, intensely mineral character, quite friendly with shellfish,
Then we have the Atchika Boum Rouge 2022, which was one of our favorite wines of the year last year. This vintage is one quarter each Ugni Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Syrah and Grenache Noir, and is the perfect Southern French co-ferment. It's light, juicy, herbaceous and subtly savory, a glou wine that's got plenty of substance to it.
Finally, we have what is probably my favorite wine of this year's releases, the Syrah L'etourdie 2021. It's just everything you love from classic Syrah - the meaty, smoky, savory, mineral goodness - in a light, nimble, refreshing and utterly delicious profile.
So, here I am, yet again, imploring you to get on the train of yet another set of tiny-production, but mind-blowing wines.
Don't say I didn't tell ya... ;)
LA BALADEUSE
Banzai Blanc 2022
La Petillante 2022
Copinages/Crustaces Blanc 2022
Atchika Boum Rouge 2022
Syrah L'etourdie 2021
You may order by calling 212.255.8870.
Matt Franco
MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
249 West 13th Street NYC 10011
212.255.8870
Looking for a wine you loved from a past newsletter or a favorite you can't find anywhere? Email Raphael at raphael@mcf-rarewine.com, and we'll do our best to find it for you!
