Region: Vermont - Champlain Valley
Grapes: Frontenac Noir
Alcohol: 12%
Native Yeast Fermentation, No Sulfites Added
Notes on the Wine
Loups~Garoux is the French name for mythical wolf creatures that are not cursed but blessed. One is born a Loup~Garou and can turn at will. They are stately, dark wolves to behold and remind us of other mythical creatures like those in the legends of the Black Wolves of the Chateauguay, the wild alpine terrain that defines our homefarm and vineyard landscapes. Loups~Garoux speak of the woodland and are mercurial in nature. Our Loups~Garoux is grown in the West Addison vineyard, on clay and limestone, but favoring the thick layer of grey, black, yellow, brown clays specific to this old sea bed, grown among wild purple aster, daisy fleabane, goldenrod, and wild mint. Made in honor of traditional Ripasso or Amarone from the Veneto, dried and fresh fruits dovetail together to knit a fabric of deep flavors and bright acidity. Aged for two years in old French barrels before release.
Notes on the Prodcuer
Our wines are an expression of the season. Each vintage may herald slightly different bottlings, and even wines that we tend to make every year will show variation from vintage to vintage. This intrigues us. We work in the field and cellar as minimally as possible, as guides and companions. We believe that terroir encompasses geology, geography, microclimate, varietal, culture, and the human hand. Wine cannot make itself just like a dish of roasted carrots or an aged cow's milk cheese cannot. Our job is to accompany and support the wine throughout its life in the vineyard and our cantina.
Our fruit is handpicked and sorted, foot crushed through pigeage. We employ glass demijohns and old barrels. We hope some day to have an anfora. We rely on the native yeast found on our fruit, the result of a happy marriage of field and fermentation. We use little to no sulphite at bottling. It depends on the wine and the season. Currently in release, we have the first of the 2014 wines with more on the way.
