Brothers, Jean-Marie and Thierry Puzelat, tend their 10-hectare family estate in Les Montils (part of the Cheverny AOC) and rent four hectares in a village nearby to produce AOC Touraine. Clos du Tue-Boeuf, along with Marcel Richaud, Dard and Ribo, Yvon Metras, and a handful of others, were at the heart of the natural wine movement in mid-90s Paris. They are undoubtedly the impetus for spreading this philosophy in the Loire, which remains a hotbed of the style today. 

Pineau d'Aunis is an historical black grape of the Touraine--in the same family with Menu Pineau and its more sophisticated cousin Pineau de la Loire, aka Chenin Blanc--but is a rare bird even here in its native Loire. The Puzelats source tiny quantities of it, mainly from neighbor vigneronne Valérie Forgues, who organically tends and hand harvests her hundred-plus-year-old vines. This is a rustic, light-bodied red. The palate is bursting with notes of wild berries, orange oil, and a touch of animal, while the palate holds firm acidity and a fresh finish. 

Pairing: Rustic mushroom dishes, Roast chicken and potatoes, Tacos al Pastor. 

Grape: Pineau d'Aunis

Viticulture: Biodynamic, natural