Description

Saying more about this production family would be an understatement. It would be like trying to explain who the Beatles or Metallica is. They are so formative to the fabric of excellent patient Natural Wine, that they barely need an introduction. At the risk of being condescending, I’ll try.

The Houillon/Overnoy Dynasty starts in Jura, an 80km region on the border with Switzerland. Much like Philippe of La Palma El Tucan, Pierre Overnoy was looking for a way to make his wine better. Whether it was embracing multi or monocropping depending on varietals, or the actual role of Sulphur, Pierre was driven to make the best wine around. While farming, picking and some final additions might all play into the ultimate role of how a wine turns out, almost nothing substitutes patience. Constantly testing and tasting, and finding the ideal point that a wine is ready to be released is a matter of patience. The only main point that can truly tell when a wine is ready. This is why their wine vintages are released so sporadically.

Charlotte and Aurélien Houillon took these techniques on board with small plantings in the Rhone Valley and it shows. While some of the Oxidative Jura Qualities are there, however it still presents as a more perfume based old world red. More restrained than Natural wines in the new World, it shows a mastery of technique that you don’t see often in wine.