What

A tiny sustainable grower based in the western Marne valley run by mother and son duo Éliane Delalot and Jérôme Lefèvre.

Where

Essômes-sur-Marne, Vallée de la Marne; about 1ha of estate vineyards in the western Marne Valley.

Why

The style is rich with red fruit and deliberately low pressure, described by Éliane as “gourmand” i.e. specifically meant for enjoyment with food. All of their production is micro-cuvées with only 1,000 or fewer bottles made, each hand-numbered. Cultivation is done without machines or chemical inputs.

What else

The name Les Illuminations is the title of prose poems by Rimbaud and Benjamin Britten’s song cycle based on them. Eliane is an eighth-generation grape grower.

Tasting Notes

An intense strawberry, pinot noir nose is offset by spicy leather, camphor and a subtle volatile cider note. Raw silk texture, biting bitterness and a kombucha-like yeastiness yield a result that is quite appetising if atypical.

Try It With 

Rich meaty curries and rendang.

When To Drink

Main Course

Perfect For

Your friend who lives on kombucha.

Tatler Tip

The cute stubby bottle would make it a good choice for a boat trip.

TL/DR

A pinot lover's rosé.

Supplier

Deco Wines