Le Temps des Cerises "Jalava" Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2023

FROM DISCO LIQUIDS:

THE WINE: Le Temps des Cerises Jalava is a playful, light, natural red wine made from 100% Cinsault, crafted by winemaker Axel Prüfer in the Languedoc region of France. The wine undergoes carbonic maceration, which keeps it fresh, fruity, and easy-drinking, with an alcohol content of just 10.8%. It bursts with notes of juicy red berries and soft herbs, perfect for casual sipping or pairing with light fare like charcuterie or grilled vegetables. Hand-harvested grapes with no added sulfites, unfiltered and unfined. The wine takes its name from the train driver who helped Lenin escape during the Russian Revolution, adding a fun historical twist to this vibrant bottle.

THE PRODUCER: Axel Prüfer makes wine in a remote part of the Languedoc—his vineyards, which until recently amounted to 8ish hectares, are surrounded by forest and most of his neighbors are wild boars that he wards off using hair he collects from the local salon (boars apparently don’t like the smell of human hair). His wines are direct and delicate, showing off the granitic quartz soils in which his vines grow. Axel added 7 hectares of vines in 2022 and has been converting the farming to organic practices. He primarily ages the wines in stainless steel or fiberglass, though he occasionally uses old barrels.