Domaine Les Hautes Noëlles Erythra

Erythra is where Grolleau Gris steps confidently out of expectation and into something far more expressive. A maceration wine that feels almost defiant in its individuality, it’s textured, vivid, and alive with colour and character true to its description as an “astonishing” expression.

From the coastal influence of the Loire Valley, specifically the Pays de Retz this is 100% Grolleau Gris pushed into a more radical, skin-contact interpretation. At Domaine Les Hautes Noëlles, multiple selective harvests are carried out to capture optimal ripeness, followed by spontaneous fermentation and daily punch-downs and pump-overs. The approach is hands-on and reactive, allowing extraction and texture to build naturally through time.

In the glass, Erythra shows a cloudy, almost unfiltered appearance, with a soft pink hue edged by faint orange reflections, an immediate signal of its macerative style. Aromatically, it is striking and complex: rose petals and grapefruit meet candied morello cherry and a lifted thread of bergamot, creating something both floral and vividly fruit-driven.

The palate opens with a round, generous impression of red fruit, with watermelon emerging in particular as a juicy, unexpected centrepiece. As it develops, a fine, gentle bitterness begins to shape the finish, giving length and definition without hard edges. There’s a tactile, almost chewy quality to the wine that makes it feel more like an experience than a simple glass.

Unusual, expressive, and unapologetically distinctive this is Grolleau Gris reimagined through texture, time, and instinct.