Winemakers: Pèira Levada

Lover of nature, wine, and above all, life, Alexandre Durand created the petite domaine Pèira Levada, or “Raised Stones” in Occitain (a nod to the plethora of marble menhirs in the vineyard), in 2018. The son of a Bergerac winemaker, his experience spans the university as well as the field, where he met his partner—Italian oenologist and fellow winemaker Sybil Baldassare—in 2010. In 2014, the pair made the conscious choice of Faugères for their own vineyards, having fallen in love with the 360-degree views (and illustrious schist terroir). Here, Alex cultivates 4.5 hectares of vines, separated into ten tiny parcels situated around the commune of Laurens. Grown on soils of schist, marble and limestone, the vines are the beneficiaries of a permanent plant cover, with the use of biodynamic practices contributing to the vibrant flora and fauna of the vineyard.

Following hand-harvesting and (the occasional) destemming by hand, fiberglass tanks are used in the cellar—their porous nature allowing for shorter maturation periods. The grapes are left to macerate, typically without the employment of any extraction methods. No additives, sulfur, fining or filtration are ever used.

Featured:

AMERICAN IDIOT 2019                  

Country: France
Region: Languedoc
Appellation: Vin de France
Grape variety: 100% Cinsault
Style: Red
ABV: 11% by vol.
Vineyard size/yield: 45hl/ha
Soil: Clay-limestone
Average age of vines: 55 years
Farming: Dry-farmed. Certified organic 
Harvest: By hand
Vinification: Destemmed. One-month maceration (infusion) without any extractions. Spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts. No fining. No filtration. Bottled Spring 2020.
Aging: Fiberglass tanks
Sulfur added: None