Domaine Eric de Suremain is located in Monthélie, one of the tiniest villages in Burgundy’s Côte de Beaune, bordering on Volnay and Meursault. Eric is known for his hands-on approach, and can most often be found in the vineyards, personally tending to his Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Here, he is one of the champions of biodynamic agriculture, and after taking over the family estate from his father in 1978, he converted to biodynamic methods in 1996. His philosophy is one of synergy, likening biodynamic farming to conducting a symphony, keeping his vineyards in tune with nature.

Eric prefers traditional methods over technology, despite his technical agriculture degree, and so he restricts his yields to some of the lowest in the area, and uses minimal intervention in the cellars as well as minimal oak influence. He adjusts his winemaking process to each vintage, prioritizing balance above all. “Suremain” means “sure hand,” and in Eric’s capable hands the estate’s wines display elegance, depth, and complexity that far exceed their modest appellation.

Domaine Robert Sérol is located in the Côte Roannaise AOC, in the volcanic upper Loire Valley at the foothills of the Madeleine Mountains. However, this region is much closer to Beaujolais than Sancerre, and closer, too, in terms of terroir and winemaking style. Much of the wine here is made with the Gamay grape, which undergoes carbonic maceration to produce lighter, low-tannin, fresh red and rose wines. Sérol is no exception, with almost all of its 32 hectares planted with Gamay. The estate’s goal is to promote the true expression of their grapes, thereby allowing the unique identity of the terroir to reveal itself.

Stéphane and his wife Carine took over in 1996, and the property has been in the family since the 17th Century. With the goal of strengthening their vines and preserving the terroir they converted the estate to organic and biodynamic farming, becoming certified organic in 2014. Sérol is known as one of the best producers in the area, and has been active in promoting and generating recognition for the Côte Roannaise, the region that has been home to their family for so long.

Noël Bulliat is a sixth-generation wine grower, purchased this property in 1978 after graduating from studying viniculture. What began as 4 hectares of vines has now grown to 27 hectares, spread throughout eight different appellations in the heart of the Beaujolais region. In 2005 he went into business officially with his son, Loïc, who was instrumental in their switching to organic practices in 2010, and three years later the estate became certified as organic. The vineyards use eco-friendly techniques, including limited yields, allowing grass to grow between the vines, forgoing the use of chemicals and pesticides, and hand-harvesting the grapes.

Vignobles Bulliat follows a philosophy of “concern for the environment, respect for nature, and a desire to express local terroir.” Now producing around 70,000 bottles a year, they have become known for their unusually serious approach to the Gamay grape. The stunning complexity of Bulliat’s wines is a testament to their passion for their craft as well as their dedication to the land.

Domaine de la Chauvinière was founded in 1946 by Constant Huchet, and is located overlooking the valleys of the Maine River in the western Loire region. Their cellars, originally belonging to a monastery, were purchased by his father, wine grower and miller Joseph Arnaud. The estate is now run by great-grandson Jérémie Huchet, and their original six hectares of vines have now expanded to 38. The vineyards are planted with Melon de Bourgogne, a grape so synonymous with the Muscadet AOC that it, and wines made from it, are often simply called Muscadet.

Jérémie (who considers himself to have the best job in the world!) describes his mission as “to observe and to act with reflection and clear-headedness in order to vinify a complex and interesting wine: a living wine.” To this end, the estate’s approach includes rejecting the use of chemicals, a respect for the microbic life of the soils, hand-harvesting of their grapes, and efforts to maintain the local, historic winemaking culture. This passion for the white wines of the Loire Valley, passed down through generations, have cemented Chauvinière’s legend, and legacy, as one the region’s top producers.

Domaine Barou is currently run by Emmanuel Barou, who took over in 1997 after studying oenology and viticulture. His father, Alexis, converted the family farm (founded by his father in 1928) to organic practices in 1971, long before a market for it existed in France. Under the direction of Emmanual, and with the help of his wife Marie-Agnès, the once polyculture estate has shifted its orientation more towards winemaking, Barou has also been practicing biodynamic methods starting in 2013.

Their less-than-ten hectares of vineyards are spread through Charnas, Saint-Joseph, and Condrieu in the Northern Rhone, where the soil is dominated by granite. Here, in addition to grapes, they also grow cherries, peaches, and apricots. They farm using their own compost, weed by hand, plow as little as possible, and avoid using even organic mildew treatments in order to protect the soil fauna. Despite these time-consuming methods, Domain Barou’s offerings remain stellar values for the superior quality of the wines for which they have become renowned.

Borie la Vitarèle has two key principles: respect for the soil, and respect for the wine. Beyond this, they describe their mission in winemaking as: “to produce authentic wines that faithfully reflect the soil from which they came.” Founded in 1990 by Jean-François and Cathy Izarn, after Jean-François’ premature death the estate is now run by Cathy, along with her daughter Camille as the winemaker. They have been farming biodynamically and organically since 1998. Their winemaking focuses on only using native yeasts, minimal intervention, and using minimal sulfites.

The farm is located in Saint-Chinian in the heart of the Languedoc, covering over 18 hectares of gravel schist, limestone, and clay soils. The wines are deeply expressive of the terroir, and are barrel-aged no more than a year to preserve their unique identities. According to Borie la Vitarèle, “our soils are alive, our vines look happy, and our wines have character.” Their philosophy of harmony between the land and the vineyards is evident in their elegant, complex, terroir specific wines.

The family operation of Domaine la Bouysse has been run by the brother-and-sister team of Martine Pagès and Christophe Molinier since 1996, after they both graduated as oenologists. The winery, a cooperative until that point, had been in the family for four generations. Today Martine handles the winemaking and the cellar, while Christophe tends to the vines. They are assisted by two of Martine’s daughters.

Bouysse covers 40 hectares in Boutenac, situated between the Mediterranean and the Pyrénées Mountains. It is in the heart of the Corbières AOC, the oldest appellation in the Languedoc. Their vine ages range from 30 to 115 years old, and they work primarily with historic grape varieties of this region in order to best allow them to express the terroir. The estate was converted to organic farming in 2010, becoming certified in 2013, and their passionate respect for the environment is one of their core values.

Domaine Cady is located in St. Aubin de Luigné, in the heart of the Loire Valley in Anjou. Wine has been produced in this area since vines were planted over 2,000 years ago by the Romans, and in the 11th and 12th Centuries Loire Valley wines were regarded higher than those from Burgundy or Bordeaux. These particular vineyards have been in the family for four generations, since being founded in 1927 by François Cady. It is run today by Sylvie, Philippe, and their son, current vigneron Alexandre. Although they had been practicing sustainable methods since 1995, in 2014 the estate became certified organic in order to step up its environmental efforts.

The estate’s vineyards are made up of 18 hectares of Chenin Blanc and 10 hectares of Loire red varieties. Domaine Cady specializes in harvesting each grape variety, and in fact each grape, at its optimal ripeness, which is a time-consuming process as well as a labor of love. Being in the heart of the Coteaux du Layon AOC, they specialize in luscious, classic dessert wines made from botrytized Chenin Blanc grapes, but also produce elegant, dry reds, whites, and rosés.

The family estate of Chateau Colombière has been run by the husband-and-wife team of Diane and Phillipe Cauvin since 2005. Located in the Fronton AOP in the southwest of France, 30 minutes north of Toulouse, the estate was established by their family in the late 1960’s. Their vines range from 15 to 70 years old, and the couple has been dedicated to preserving the rare grapes native to this area, especially Négrette, which they have worked hard to bring back from the brink of extinction.

Diane and Phillipe are also committed to making their wines as naturally as possible, converting the estate to organic and biodynamic farming for their very first vintage in 2006. They produce their wines with a minimalist approach, hand-picking and sorting the grapes, fermenting in stainless steel or concrete vats, and using as few additives as possible. Their entire approach to winemaking is one that prioritizes quality over quantity, and the tremendous efforts Colombière has put into both preserving tradition and embracing the future of winemaking shine through.

In 1258 a castle was built to defend what used to be the border of the Kingdom of Aragon, and in fact “Força Réal” is Catalan for “Royal Castle.” The castle itself was destroyed in 1693 and replaced with a hermitage. In 1988 the property was taken over by Jean-Paul Henriques, who replanted the vines and restored the old buildings on the estate. Today, Força Réal is run by his son, Cyril, and Cyril’s daughter, Laura.

Here, near Millas in the Roussillon region, the family farms their vines spread over 40 hectares as well as 10 hectares of olive trees. The estate was converted to organic farming in 2013 and has some of the lowest yields in France due to the rocky soils, arid weather, and strong winds. The vineyards are perched high on a south-facing slope of the hillside at over 300 meters of altitude, overlooking the Mediterranean to the east and Spain and Andorra to the south and south-west. The sunny climate with clay and schist soils support old, deep-rooted vines which are resistant to frequent droughts. The hardy native garrigue and variety in soils here allow Força Réal to produce wines from different parcels that are deeply expressive of the terroir and reflect their passion for the land and their vines.