La Ferme des 7 Lunes is a family domain run by Jean Delobre. In times gone by, polyculture was the estate’s priority, and their produce was mainly table wine. A man of character, Jean decided to move away from the cooperative to craft his own wines in 2001; his vines had already been certified organic since 1997. The consistent philosophy at the domain is one that seeks to protect the earth’s raw material. This means, for example, that only native yeasts are used and extractions are gentle to retain the delicate nature of the fruit. Maceration takes around three weeks and the grapes ferment in open concrete vats. The wines are not fined or filtered, and when sulphur is used, it is added only in homeopathic doses. A gem of a vintner whose produce is to be shared and enjoyed.

Jean Delorbre pampers his vines, planted on stakes in granite soils, on his twenty-hectare estate, as if he were tending to a large garden. Nearing biodynamic practices in the vineyards, using horses to till the soil, he applies natural wine making methods in the cellar: hand-picked grapes, no additives other than a minute dose of sulphites when the situation calls for it, indigenous yeasts and, most importantly, a great deal of imagination. Underground Velvet illustrates this perfectly, as it is produced from Roussanne grapes that macerated on their skins before fermenting in amphorae for twelve months. The wine was subsequently bottled without fining or filtration. The result? An amber coloured orange wine with a bouquet of honey, orange and tropical fruit, and a fresh, complex palate. A rare wine, produced in limited quantities, which will reveal its full potential when paired with spicy dishes. This vintage should be enjoyed well chilled within three to five years.