Fabien Jouves, 'Haut Berba' VDF White 2021

Producer: Fabien Jouves
Region: Southwest, France
Grape Varieties: Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng
Viticulture: Organic
Category: White
Size: 750 ml

Born into a long line of winemakers, Fabien Jouves once sought to escape his Southwest France village near Cahors to go off to medical school, save lives, cure diseases and what have you. But when his parents began to struggle to maintain their domaine in the early 2000s, Jouves quickly switched gears (and careers) and enrolled at a prestigious winemaking school in Bordeaux, driving home every weekend to manage the vineyards and begin converting to biodynamic agriculture. By 2006, he was cranking out his first vintage, and by 2011, he had earned Demeter certification. Today, he is one of a handful of young, natural-minded vignerons making fresh and approachable, minimal-inventional wines that undermine the region’s somewhat stodgy reputation. All vinification occurs naturally with spontaneous yeast; fining and filtering are avoided; and various vessels (including concrete tanks, barrels, large foudres and amphorae) are used to age the wines depending “on the wine’s personality.”

This medium bodied white is part of his creativity-driven “wines of thirst” range, meant to showcase lesser known grapes. A 50-50 blend of Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng, it’s plush, mineral driven and tension filled, offering a bevvy of Anjou pear and quince flavors alongside dried apricot and lemon peel. Certified organic, certified biodynamic, low-intervention/natural wine.