François Gilbert & Philippe Gaillard are familiar names to lovers of French wine. They have published dozens of books and magazines on the topic and their annual guides to the best domaines across the country have directed countless visitors’ steps.

G&G’s line of organic table wines from the Languedoc’s Saint-Chinian AOC are farmed beautifully with integrated management of sheep, bats, honeybees, and horse plowing to achieve healthy fruit that leaves an imprint of its place rather than its treatments and contortions.

More on Château Gilbert & Gaillard’s domaine, geology, and history below, but first:

Les Vins!

2020 ‘Le Rosé’

85% Mourvèdre, 15% Grenache

Pretty in pink, this fuller bodied rosé is equal parts savoury and fresh, a crispy wine chock-full of ripe red fruit and all mourvèdre’s spicy, gamey nuance. This is quintessential Mediterranean French rosé, a perfect partner to a host of dishes that hail from the same. Bouillabaisse anyone?

From an Eocene limestone scree on a plateau 200 meters above sea level. Saignée method, stainless steel. 13.5% ABV.

854609 | 70 cases avail.

2019 “Mes Vendanges Bio” Sauvignon Blanc

A light gold sauvy b for the savvy set, playful and carefree. Crystalline aromas of white flowers and wet-stones flowing into a taut palate with citrus fruit acidity. It’s the pleasure principle at work. Pairs beautifully with crab, mussels, and clams and of course rich buttery cheeses like muenster and gouda or fresher whipped goat cheeses.

Fermented at low temperatures to maximize floral and fruit forward aromas. Aged on the lees for one week. No MLF. Pea-based vegan fining agents. 13% ABV.

854608 | 60 cases avail.

2019 “Terre Sauvage” Pinot Noir

A fresh and invigorating style loaded with black and red berries and violets and a hint of barrel spice, this a crunchy, every-man’s vin de soif, perfect for charcuterie, mushroom pasta, or rotisserie chicken.

Fermented at low temperatures to maximize floral and fruit forward aromas. Undergoes MLF while ageing briefly in french oak barriques. Pea-based vegan fining agents. 12.5% ABV.

854607 | 33 cases avail.

2017 “Le Rouge” Saint-Chinian AOC

55% Syrah, 35% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, vines over 40yo.

Ruby-hued with crimson tints. Clean, fresh nose with red and black berry fruit overtones boosted by quintessential herbaceous garrigue notes and some oak spice giving structure and warmth. Pure Saint-Chinian: rustic refinement, fresh yet full body, a welcoming wilderness.

From limestone rich plots. Vatting lasts approximately three weeks. Gentle extraction using rack-and-return at the beginning of fermentation followed by some pumping over if needed by spraying the pomace cap every day. Post-fermentation maceration depends on the results of daily tasting of the juice. Some plots are vinified using whole cluster fermentation with cask ageing immediately after devatting (30%). 14.5% ABV.

854610 | 40 cases avail.

Continued from above:

François Gilbert boasts a doctorate in geology, being among the first to apply the study of geology specifically to viticultural terroir. After having worked as a professor for 15 years, Dr. Gilbert decided to devote himself full time to his passion for wine. Meanwhile, Philippe Gaillard, having grown up in Touraine in a family of winegrowers and studying wine, was working as the sales director of a major French wine distributor. But in 1989, François and Philippe decided to join forces, leave their comfy gigs, and strike out as Gilbert & Gaillard! The rest is history—over three decades they’ve shared their expertise with we the thirsty denizens of French wine. Their english language magazine is now published and distributed on five continents, and that knowledge and palate comes to bear on their pet wine project: Château Gilbert & Gaillard.