Domaine Bobinet Piak! Rouge 2023

Domaine Bobinet sits in Saumur, in the Loire Valley, where Sébastien and Emeline farm vineyards organically in the natural style championed by vignerons such as Olivier Cousin. Piak! Rouge is a single-variety Grolleau, a Loire grape prized for lightness and bright acidity rather than weight or power. The Loire is a cool, northern region, and its limestone and sandy soils with a long, mild growing season give reds high acidity, low alcohol and delicate red fruit. This bottling reaches just 11% alcohol. It is a natural, organic and vegan wine raised for about a month in glass-fibre tank, an inert vessel that adds no oak flavour and very little oxygen, so the wine keeps its fresh, crunchy fruit and its pale colour. Carbonic-leaning natural reds of this kind are made for early drinking. Expect a light ruby wine with a nose of strawberry, redcurrant and rhubarb over a floral, peppery note, then a juicy, low-tannin palate with zippy acidity and a clean finish. Serve lightly chilled at 13 to 14 degrees. It suits roast chicken, charcuterie and lighter fish, and can stand in for a white.