Domaine Preignes Le Vieux, La Petite Source, Le Pré, Blanc

€14.50

A really wonderful white that is generously full-flavoured with a tingling fresh palate. Made from Rolle (which is the local French name for Vermentino) and Chardonnay, it is juicy and vibrant with flavours of tropical fruit, papaya, pear and peach, with a textural quality that comes from partial lees aging and high-quality fruit. At only 12.5% it is light enough for an aperitif and yet goes tremendously well with lighter plates, seafood, a Salad Niçoise and even roast chicken. Yum.

Jérome Vic is the fifth generation wine maker in this privileged part of the Languedoc. Between the mountains and the sea, close to Béziers, the climatic influences of the Mediterranean Sea are balanced by the warmth of the continental European landmass, with the high altitude of the Haut-Languedoc mountains. It's a region that produces an embarrassingly large volume of wine each year, much of which goes into the production of industrial alcohol and associated products such as hand sanitiser and turpentine... However, in the right regions and in the right hands, growers can see beyond the mundane and reach the potential quality that this region can achieve. Jérome is married to Aurélie and the pair have championed their winery by focusing on potential, yes, but also on the absolute reality that is their raw material.

Using neither pesticides nor, more importantly, herbicides, they have been practicing organic principles for decades and this is singularly the most important guiding light in their philosophy. Clearly it is their vineyard approach that gives them such generous and consistent grapes: but that only leads the horse to water, so to speak... Their winery practices are similarly bound by self-imposed structures - the difference being that while the vineyards require constant, intense manual labour, the wine-making process is almost entirely hands-off. Natural indigenous yeasts, slow ferments, minimal intervention and almost zero additional sulphur (SO2) make these some of the most approachable and delightfully fruity 'natural' wines that we have come across.

They haven't certified the wines as organic (though clearly the lack of vineyard treatments more than qualifies them to do so), but have aligned themselves to an alternative body that prizes sustainability in all methods of food and drink production, which is called QUALENVI. Unaware of anyone else that does this, it is challenging to say "ah ha, that's why they taste like this" , but it is absolutely clear that they do something right that results in wines that are fresh, clear and tasty with no suggestion of commercial over-production. The rest of the Languedoc should take note...

Region: Languedoc

Country: France

Grape(s): Vermentino, Chardonnay

Style: Sustainable, Organic, Light, Juicy, Fruity, Fresh, Dry, Crunchy, Bright

Best food matches: Warm Salads, Tuna, Tapas, Soft Cheeses, Shellfish, Seafood, Sausages, Salads, Poultry, Pasta, Oysters, Grills, Grilled Vegetables, Charcuterie, Barbecue, Baked Fish, Asparagus, Aperitif

Alcohol: 12.5%

Why buy from us?

When you buy wine from The Allotment Wine Co. you're helping a small Irish company that in turn supports small, sustainable wine producers who grow the grapes and make amazing wines. We only work with partners who share a deep respect and connection with the land and its traditions, witnessed in a firm commitment to quality and sustainability. All of which makes for better wines.

Delivery & Returns

You'll get free delivery when you buy 12 x 75cl bottles of wine online from The Allotment, saving you €7.99.

We charge €7.99 per delivery for quantities less than that.

Our hours for processing orders are between 9am - 6pm Monday to Friday.

We pack your online wine order along the following timelines:

Wine orders for delivery in Dublin, received before 12pm on weekdays are prepared so that delivery should be expected the next working day.

Wine orders for nationwide delivery, received by 12pm on weekdays are prepared so that delivery should be expected two working days later.

Customer reviews

★★★★★
Great choice and excellent service. Received my delivery the next day.
Paul H.
★★★★★
Amazing service from the get go!
I emailed Chris looking for wine recommendations for a birthday gift. Got a really speedy, helpful reply and not only that but he hand delivered it on time to the birthday girl wishing her a happy birthday. Absolutely bowled over by the service. Cannot recommend highly enough.
Michelle McM.
★★★★★
Could not recommend The Allotment enough. The selection is fantastic and each wine that I've drank from them has been utterly phenomenal. Delivery was no hassle and I had the wine at my door in 2 days. Couldn't have asked for a better experience.
Luke B.
★★★★★
Good range of interesting wines. Good personal attention to their orders. Very customer focused. I would be happy to recommend this company to any prospective customer.
Jim D.
★★★★★
A great experience ordering from The Allotment Wine Company. A wide variety of wines to try something new and at good prices with super quick delivery! Really convenient too as opposed to trying to find parking!
N. Dowling
★★★★★
Delicious and interesting range of wines delivered promptly to my door. Not far off that lovely feeling of coming back laden from a good wine store but without any of the traffic or the worry of breaking the wine en route (very impressive travel wrap).
M. Dorman
★★★★★
Chris fields a fine range of excellent, keenly-priced wines. Orders are safely packaged and dispatched efficiently and promptly. Strongly recommended.
David M.
★★★★★
Great selection of wines, hassle free ordering, payment and delivery. Highly recommended.
Patrick H.
Hi, I'm Chris Gifford.

And you're very welcome to The Allotment Wine Co.

When you wine from me, you're supporting a small Irish business which in turn supports small, sustainable wine producers, as well as other small, dedicated Irish wine importers.

When selecting wines, I look for partners who share a deep respect and connection with the land and its traditions, witnessed in a firm commitment to quality and sustainability. All of which makes for better wines.