Le Quai a Raisins, Lopin

ORGANIC / NATURAL

Lopin is made from completely de-stemmed Cinsault grapes which ferment spontaneously (with native yeasts) and macerate for 12 days to extract the perfect amount of flavour and texture from the skins. Maturation occurs in a mixture of old oak barrels, steel tanks and amphora, for a full 12 months. Finally, it is bottled unfiltered, unfined, and without the addition of sulphur, making this a completely natural expression of the grape. In the glass it is a delicate ruby ​​red colour, with a wonderfully aromatic bouquet of cherries, strawberries and cracked black pepper. Whilst Cinsault tends to produce very juicy, fruity wines with a rather light body, Lopin's long maceration and maturation process in different vessels gives it more weight and complexity on the palate, with a nice tannic structure and a long finish.

Imogen and French Robin work a minuscule 1.5 hectares of their own, adding to their haul with selected grapes from friends and neighbours, all of which are farmed organically or biodynamically. Both of them are science graduates, so they work meticulously and precisely to protect the unique characteristics of the grape and terroir, eschewing the use of any chemical or biological additives.

Origin: Languedoc/Roussillon, France
Vintage: 2019
Grape varieties: Cinsault
Food pairings: Beef, pasta dishes, veal, pizza
Bottle size: 75cl
ABV: 13%