12°5: Grapes and Men, Issue 3

In this new issue 100% pure juice: reports, portraits, opinion pieces, rants, recipes, and other news... In Sauternes, a meeting with Daniel Alibrand, a former fisherman transformed into a winemaker. In the section "Litres et Ratures," Philippe Toinard tells us about "life in château(x)" and mentions Sabine Paturel... Then diving into Villié-Morgon, the birthplace of natural wines thanks to Lapierre, Foillard, Chanudet, Breton, Descombes, and Thevenet. Followed by reports: organic cognac with a feminine touch now has a say, and the craft of cooperage is exhibited. Jajalogie with Stefan Lagorce, who artfully explains the complex world of wine: after carbonic maceration, he sheds light on the mysteries of biodynamics. Also included: the story of Chanoine Kir, the man without whom we might not drink kir - a glossary to understand the differences between négociant, récoltant, manipulateur - the essential humor of illustrator Michel Tolmer, and many other delights. 176 pages to enjoy without moderation... When winemakers only bottle one vintage per year, the team at 12°5, the jajazine of 180°C, dares to do two. And for a simple reason, our journalists and photographers have a lot of material. Just think, over 750,000 hectares of vineyards to explore in France, to which we could add kilometers of cellars and wine storehouses. So yes, since the launch of the first issue of 12°5, we have decided to only focus on natural, organic, or biodynamic wines. This still represents a little over 60,000 hectares to cover and thousands of winemakers to greet. By "greet," we mean that through 176 pages, we aim to highlight their work and their desire to offer a cleaner planet and to provide wines with as few additives as possible. What was once a sweet dream and then a trend just a few years ago is now a real awareness, and these men and women we support are not eccentrics but true artisans now backed by wine enthusiasts who veer off the beaten paths - and like our journalists and photographers, there are thousands to explore.