Camille Mélinand comes from a family of winegrowers in Fleurie, the center of the northernmost section of Beaujolais. He is a young producer with a cult following, handcrafting small amounts of ultra-elegant and delicious natural Cru Beaujolais from estate vineyards utilizing organic farming and natural production methods. Presently, Camille farms two vineyards he owns in Fleurie and Chiroubles, vinifying the wines in traditional, large foudres at his family’s cellar in Fleurie, Domaine de Marrans, where he works with his brother Mathieu to make the domaine wine. Camille is one of the rising stars of southern Beaujolais, making complex and delicious wines that are full of life. 

For his pétillant naturel, Camille selects his young (10 years on average), cordon-trained gamay vines from his vineyards in Fleurie planted on shallow, stony, pink granite soils. The pink granite found in his Fleurie vineyard is a little more decomposed than in Chiroubles. The red gamay bunches are directly-pressed and follow the pétillant naturel vinification method described below. A true blanc de noirs Beaujolais pét-nat that is full of young-fruit, vibrant minerality, and joie de vivre. Made in very small quantities, this fun, authentic drink is a staff favorite at De Maison Selections. 

Vinification – Whole bunches are handpicked in small crates and selected in the vineyard, and the grapes are not sulfured. A very gentle and slow direct pressing of the whole bunches is followed by spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in cement tanks. Before the primary alcoholic fermentation is complete, the fermenting must is transferred into glass bottles, where it completes fermentation and ages in bottle for six months on the lees. The wine is disgorged and topped with a crown cap. No sulfur or dosage is used in the process.

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