2021 Metisse

A slurpy, slippery dip of a wine that is as varied each release as the colours in a sunset. The first time Julien Altaber produced this cuvée he gave it the name Métisse (mixed) because it was a mix of both white and red grapes, namely Gamay and Chardonnay. Two years later we saw that there was only Gamay on the label…so his distributors Sue and Roger asked why? Only to have a cheeky smile given in return. He went on to explain that he purchases the Gamay from two parcels of his friend Patri...Read More...

A slurpy, slippery dip of a wine that is as varied each release as the colours in a sunset. The first time Julien Altaber produced this cuvée he gave it the name Métisse (mixed) because it was a mix of both white and red grapes, namely Gamay and Chardonnay. Two years later we saw that there was only Gamay on the label…so his distributors Sue and Roger asked why? Only to have a cheeky smile given in return. He went on to explain that he purchases the Gamay from two parcels of his friend Patrick Besson from Beaujolais. Two thirds of the grapes are from older vines which he partially destems and then macerates (leaves the skins in the tank) for ten days. The other third of the Gamay is from younger vines and with these grapes he direct presses them to produce a white wine! Hence the wine is still a mix of white and red wine and the name is still valid! Julien is a thoughtful person who has absorbed the art and the science of winemaking over the years, working closely with Domaine Derain. Over the years he started his own label, Sextant, working with some of the growers he loved in the area. He and his partner, Carole Schwab, have now bought the Domaine Derain business in addition to their commitments to the Sextant domaine and will be making the Derain wines from now on (with Dominique still in the background!).

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