LES VINS DE L’ARPETTE
The word arpette (or arpète) translates to “young apprentice”. From mathematics to the vineyard, in 2016 the project of Aurélie Besnard and Paul Chereau began. They built little by little: starting with three vats in a garage then continuing to the birth of a small farm, where now chickens, cats, sheep, a dog, and their children roam happily amidst their work. The vines are gleaned and planted nearby and in more remote places, from Castelnau-de-Montmiral, where the farm is located, to Lisle-sur-Tarn for the most distant vineyards. In total, 6 hectares are cultivated in biodynamic agriculture in order to support the biodiversity desired and necessary for the balance of life. The Arpette wines are vinified from typical Gaillac grape varieties: Mauzac, Verdanel, Ondenc, Loin de l’œil for the whites and Braucol, Prunelart, Duras for the reds. In the vineyard, the grapes are harvested by hand. In the cellar highlighting the living character of the wine is the goal, fermented with native yeasts, with no technical interventions that could alter the life of the wine, there no inputs; with the exception (if necessary) of a small addition of sulfur.
