Guest Writer:  Allesandra deSantillana, Living Room Caviste and resident of Paris

There has been a movement recently around wines known as “Natural” or “Nature” in French. Contrary to organic wines, wines known as “Nature” are made from organically grown grapes and in the most natural way possible – they are generally unfiltered or have no added sulfites.

“There is no such thing as Vin Nature” says sommelier Laurent Marre, who invited me, Donna and a few other friends to a private tasting at F&B Restaurant in the 3rd arrondissement to prove his point and educate us that there are indeed wines labeled “nature” worthy of drinking.  As we learned, the term “Nature” is merely a marketing tool.

This discussion all started at another dinner at Bodeguita du XVIIeme. A wine shop/restaurant that mostly promotes “vins nature”.  The dinner featured some of the wines of Pithon-Paillé from the Loire Valley.  Pithon wines are made using “organic practices”.

What I discovered at Laurent’s tasting were some excellent wines labeled “nature” and “organic” or not at all.  As it turns out, it’s all about the producer and winemaker!  And Joseph aka “Jo” Pithon, was on hand for the tasting and what a treat!

He cuts an impressive figure.  He is as big as his wines (which are primarily Anjou, Bourgeuil and Chinon).  Beautiful fruit, full bodied and well balanced.  Jo is well known in wine circles in France because of the quality of wines he makes in a region not known for top-notch wines.  He is also quite down-to-earth as evidenced when he told me that it took him about 20 years of making bad wines in order to know how to make a really good ones.

Anybody up for a trip to the Loire Valley???