Les Athlètes du Vin, Pineau d'Aunis 2022

Les Athletes du Vin is a négociant project focused on producing typical wines from the Loire Valley at great value. A group of French winemakers called Vini Be Good started the project, and now work together to distribute their wines. The idea is to relieve winegrowers of marketing and logistic considerations and allow them to freely focus on creating the highest quality wines. While distribution is a joint venture, each estate handles their vineyards, winemaking and bottling operations independently. The common core philosophy being that wine character first begins on the vine and that the soil is worked in such a way that grapes can draw their quintessential qualities.

The wines are vinified by various members of the Vini Be Good network using their own grapes or grapes purchased from friends and neighbors in the Loire.

As of 2004, nine separate estates have been trusting Les Athletes du Vin with distributing their product range. Several specific vintage wines have been picked for Les Athletes du Vin in each partner winery’s production, to create one of the best selections in the Loire Valley and other wine regions.

A great deal of sharing goes on within the group, whether on technical grounds or in the tasting room. The older winemakers’ solid experience blends with enthusiasm from the new generation, fanning the fires of inspiration and thereby raising quality levels with each successive vintage.

The labels for Les Athletes du Vin are created by the French artist Michel Tolmer who has been the unofficial lead artist of the French natural wine movement since the 1990s.

Les Athlètes du Vin Pineau d'Aunis is made from 50-120 year old vines grown on clay/limestone soils. The wine pours a light ruby red exhibiting aromas of bright, ripe red berry fruit mixed with earth and spice. The silky palate is light- to medium-bodied with flavors of raspberry and strawberry highlighted with a touch of pepper. Put on ice for about 15 minutes or so, this Pineau d'Aunis is delightful with a little chill.