Les Athlètes Du Vin

“Crunchy red fruit, epitomized”

Crunchy Red Fruit. Not as a company name. As a wine descriptor. If you’re still listening and following along, you’re probably realizing that I love wines with this approachable, easy-drinking quality. Red wines that are pale, refreshing, and friendly. Wines you can put in the fridge for an hour or two.

Les Athlètes du Vin is a group of like-minded friends and winemakers from the Loire Valley in France. They all have their own projects and wineries, but every year band together to create tasty, approachable cuvées made from shared fruit. This Pineau d’Aunis is a perfect example of their handiwork. A rare grape that sometimes gets lost in blends, or made into cheap rosé, but one that becomes an absolutely delicious wine when treated with respect.

On the nose, it’s a basket of fresh fruit. Red apple skin, cherries, and tiny strawberries. Pink peppercorn, topsoil and fresh violets round it out. Crunchy red fruit, epitomized. Oops I said it again. On the palate, let this wine take over your senses. Fresh red fruit and peppery notes and all the silky texture you could hope for. This is where that hour in the fridge really works wonders. It’s effortless to drink this.