Philippe Pacalet Cornas 2021

Philippe Pacalet is one of the top names in "natural" winemaking, deeply influenced by his uncle Marcel Lapierre, a pioneer of the modern natural wine movement and one of the OG's in Kermit Lynch's Gang of Four. Philippe has an impressive background, including roles as general manager at Domaine Prieuré Roch and brief stints at Château Rayas, and Domaine Leroy. Despite an invitation from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, he chose to start his own micro negociant operation focusing on specific sites across Burgundy with the occasional detour to the Beaujolais and the Northern Rhone.

Pacalet's philosophy emphasizes letting each terroir speak for itself, renting plots and having them managed to his very high standards.The selection process considers various factors like yield, minimum vine age of 45 years, orientation and exposure of the site, whilst maintaining a very high standard of work in the vineyard.

He follows natural winemaking practices that would probably be very recognisable to his grandfather and uncle. Wild fermentation happens in open top wooden vats using whole bunches and zero sulphur. The wines are then aged on gross lees in predominantly used oak barrels sourced via Philippe's deep connections in Burgundy, giving him access to the best barrels on the market. He doesn't fine or filter the wines as he is chasing the purest snapshot of each terroir from each vintage, preferring to use more gentler natural techniques to coax out flavour.

These wines are held in high regard and sit alongside the very best of the region, commanding the same level of attention as his peers. They are found on all the best wine lists across the globe and thankfully in some of the best wine shops too! They deserve careful cellaring, reserving them for a special occasion or if you are like me... On the grass in the park with mates because it was the right thing to do at the time. - Pete L