Have you seen this logo on the label or closure? Most certainly you have but you might not have paid much attention to it. This is the logo of the independent wine growers of France or in French “Vignerons Indépendants”, which exist all over France, organized by their own regions.
One of the main reasons to choose to drink French or old world wine would be the quality or authenticity arguments. This logo is a sign that the wine has been produced authentically and thus exhibits a unique character. The main slogan of these growers is “the independent winemaker respects their terroir”. Terroir is a unique concept which covers aspects such as geography, soil, weather, and other factors specific to that very small sub region – which all contribute to the unique character of that wine. And this is ultimately what people are after with French small producer wines.
This sign is not a guarantee of quality but it is an interesting development for the smaller scale wine producers of France. As ultimately wine tasting is about finding the right match for your own taste and experimenting with the different regions and grape varieties, drinking these authentic wines will guarantee this hard genuine work of these producers in making their own unique wine. It will also help to avoid the disappointment of buying yet another bottle of exactly the “same” wine, although the name was different.
The official website http://www.vigneron-independant.com/ lists the main characteristics of these producers and their wines as:
- Respect their soil (this is particularly important for the long term quality of the wines, as can be seen from the biodynamic producers where the different soil levels all flourish)
- Work their own vineyard
- Harvest their own grapes
- Make and age their wines
- Bottle in the cellar
- Perfected with tradition
- Take time and pleasure in making tastings to show these wines to the public
So these are the typical small scale producers that you might have visited on your trips in France.
A great, simple trip to make is to go to France and visit one of their fairs. They are also a great chance to buy wines at very competitive prices directly from the producers.
http://salonsdesvins.vigneron-independant.com/ is the website which lists the shows and producers. The most notable show, and probably the most easily accessible to UK consumers is the one in Paris Champerret in March.
There is simply no easier way to taste the wines of hundreds of passionate winemakers for £5
