Hors Champs "La Femme Soleil" Roussillon, France 2022

FROM CAMILLE RIVIÉRE:

THE WINE: This white wine from the Roussillon by incredible winemaker Cyril Fhal is one of our favorite grape varieties: Grenache Gris. You'll really only see this rare variety (the pink sibling of Grenache Blanc and Grenache Noir) in the Mediterranean; our favorite examples come from Catalonia, south of the Pyrenees, and the Roussillon, to the mountains' north. This is done direct press, so it isn't pink in the glass per se, but it is vibrant, beautifully silky on the palate, and lifted up by acid. Totally beautiful wine.

THE PRODUCER: Hors Champ is the side project of Cyril Fhal, the vigneron behind Clos du Rouge Gorge, and Alice Gendron. Hors Champ began after major drought in 2016 caused substantial crop loss. They worked with neighboring organic growers to create the wines that are Hors Champ. About 4000 bottles were made of the two whites and the two reds that were produced.