2022 Roc Ambulle Petillant Naturel Fronton

Domaine le Roc is a relatively young, family-run estate based in Fronton – it has only been going for the last 40 years or so with humble beginnings in the early 1980s. The estate has now grown into quite the family concern, with 7 members of the same family all having roles to play in the running of the estate. The estate was very recently certified organic (in 2022), even though they have been adhering to these principles since the very beginning. The family philosophy has remained unchanged throughout their history, they aim to work intelligently and with respect for all living things, guided by the ‘country common sense’ that the land does not belong to them, they aim to leave the estate in a better condition than in which they inherited it.

This is an interesting wine to round off this month’s selection. It’s red (100% Negrette), it’s low in alcohol (just 9.5%) and it’s bubbly! It is produced in a traditional, low-intervention way, where the first fermentation takes place in stainless steel and just before the first fermentation is complete, the juice is bottled with a little of the active yeasts remaining to undergo a secondary fermentation in bottle. The CO2 produced by the fermentation under the bottle seal is reabsorbed into the juice to create beautifully fine bubbles. The resulting wine is very fragrant with aromas of redcurrant and blackberries, and the fine bubbles make this a very refreshing apéritif and a great pairing for fatty meats and charcuterie such as Lardo.