Riberach N°20 Rouge 2020

The vibe: You want funky? You got it! This Côtes Catalanes red blend is fairly typical in terms of viticulture and viniculture (farming and wine production). However, it exemplifies the best of southwest French reds that are made sans-soufre (without sulfites) in the Mèthode Nature (natural, low-intervention winemaking). Old cellars and old vines. This combo is legendary in this region when combined with low intervention winemaking for lending a distinctive feral, barnyardy and yes, sometimes manure-like nose to wines. This animalistic quality is actually what interested me (hi, it’s Nick) in natural wine in the first place! You can literally taste the livestock that have cultivated and fertilized this natural terroir for centuries. Some might be turned off by that sure, but you, dear funky wine drinker, appreciate this wild character as a product of generations of careful preservation of the land and the delicate balance of man and nature. It’s also a damn good wine!

The winemaker: Don’t go Google these guys because you’re going to end up booking a night at their estate and before you know it you’re sitting high up in the Pyrenees overlooking the sea at sunset and..UGH. Seriously this estate is gorgeous. Domaine Riberach is situated in the Pyrenees range near Perpignan, just across the border from Spain in SW France. The Bélesta cooperative cellar was founded in 1925, and abandoned when Luc Richard and his wife Karin Pühringer, both architects, fell in love with the derelict building. The former “wine cathedral” has been rehabilitated and since 2006 has been home to the Riberach Wine Estatein association with winemaker Jean-Michel Mailloles. It is a “multiculti” alliance that you can taste in a glass!

The geeky details: 45% Syrah, 30% Grenache, 25% Carignan fermented in barrel.

Serve: Cellar temp or with a slight chill.

Food pairing: Tapas, red meats, stews, chicken. Curry would also go great with this.

Album pairing: Bobbi Humphrey – Fancy Dancer