Stéphane Lucas 'Papillon d'Orphée' IGP Côtes du Tarn 2022

Stéphane Lucas produces only two cuvées from his tiny 0.77 hectare farm, located within the Gaillac appellation of Southwest France. Both are made from the ancient braucol grape (also known as fer servadou), the only varietal he grows. Braucol does well in the poor soils of the region, with references to this old varietal dating back at least to the 1780s.  Stéphane is passionately committed to farming organically, and employs biodynamic practices as well, even experimenting with essential oils and algae. Vineyard work is done by hand or with a small tractor, legumes and grains are planted between the rows after harvest each fall to enhance soil health and prevent erosion, and no herbicides and pesticides are used. Currently, Stéphane bottles everything as IGP des Côtes du Tarn, eschewing the Gaillac AOC as he believes the AOC regulations are too lax when it comes to organic farming. Harvest is done by hand, and the same attention to detail applies in the cellar: for the ‘Papillon d’Orphée’ cuvée, grapes are pressed after 12 days of maceration, fermented with native yeasts, and aged for 10 months in stainless steel tanks with a mere 11ppm of sulfur added at bottling. Fresh, crunchy, and brambly, this offers notes of bright herbaceous cranberry, forest floor, and an elegant mineral streak. Certified organic, biodynamically grown, low-intervention/natural wine.