Clairette

04/10/2021

I Love You but I'm Thirsty!
Vincent Caille's white blend from Muscadet (Loire) is a joy to drink at any occasion.

Muscadet is most commonly known for one grape, Melon de Bourgogne, which is mixed here with Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marianne, Macabeu and Colombard to add depth, texture and aromatics. It's bursting with grapefruit and has a dash of refreshing saltiness on the finish.

Muscadet is a tough area to grow organically - the oceanic climate, and Melon de Bourgogne's susceptibility to mildew mean that few growers are up to the task of committing to it. Vincent, a fifth generation grower, is more than up to the task, and has been producing some of the region's best wines since 1986.

Great value at $32. Don't miss out on a bottle, available on the website (link in bio) today!

02/10/2021

At Clairette we love a good story behind the wine, and Domaine Vinci is exactly that: vignerons Olivier Varichon and Emmanuelle Vinci were managers of opposing wine cellars in London, who came together over a shared love of the grape. In 2001 they decided to take the plunge and went in search of an estate they could call their own.

Finding beauty in the a unaccommodating scrubby garrigue of the Rafalot Valley, just outside of Perpignan (Roussillon, France), they leveraged Emmanuelle's background as a biologist to adopt a wild approach to viticulture. Everything is farmed by hand, and they use a 'selection massale' approach to add vines as desired, ensuring great biodiversity across their 7 hectares of vineyards.

This 2019 'Roc' is a young wine made of very old vine grenaches (noir, gris, and blanc). It's made entirely by hand/foot and raised in stainless steel to preserve the fruit above all else. The result is stellar: red fruits and wild herbs combine with profound minerality to produce a uniquely juicy wine with elegant tannins. Truly fabulous and perfect fall fare.

Limited stock, so make sure you snap up a bottle before it's all gone!

03/09/2021

Delicious biodynamic blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan from the Languedoc, grown in volcanic basalt soils and wild fermented. The end result is a wonderfully bright and floral wine, with crunchy acidity and fine tannins. Lovely candied red and black fruits abound.

Turner-Pageot is a husband (Emmanuel Pageot) and wife (Karen Turner) team of a sommelier and a scientist, who came together while working for the famed Domaine Hugel in Alsace. They farm biodynamically and use a minimum of sulphur during bottling.

Available on the website for just $35. Deliveries resume after the long weekend.

02/09/2021

After years of being criminally overlooked by the cognoscenti of the wine community, Grüner Veltliner appears to be finally having its day in the sun.

Austria's most prized white grape produces wines with outstanding body and acidity, like this 2019 'Vom Löss' from in Wagram. Organically grown on highly prized 'loess' soils (a free draining combination of sand, clay and limestone that really is perfect for producing mineral-driven wines), this showcases all the best qualities of grüner - rich and creamy (but not heavy), with notes of green apple, pear and fennel seed, and a beguiling spicy finish. Outstanding with green vegetables or delicate curries. This wine is wild-fermented.

Available on the site today for $33. Please note our deliveries will resume next week after the long weekend.

28/08/2021

This heatwave has turned Toronto into something resembling Hell recently, which is why there's never been a better time to grab a bottle of this superbly aromatic and textured natural rosé from to help cool things off!

Based on Riverland, Australia, Greg Grigoriou focuses on organically growing Southern Italian and Portuguese varieties, which are well suited to the hot and dry Mediterranean climate of the area, and facilitate a more environmentally sustainable approach to viticulture.

Delinquente's 'Hell' releases are a series of experimental, small batch wines. The 2020 rosé is a curiously successful blend of Malvasia, Sangiovese, Albarino and Fernao Pires: each contributing something unique to the overall result. Lip-smacking stone fruit up front is backed by excellent acidity and salinity, while the Sangiovese provides some red fruit notes and a good backbone of structure. It's not like any other rosé you'll drink this summer, but it's damn good!

Available today on the website.

17/08/2021

Brand new up on the site! Astonishing skin contact white from one of the natural wine world's greatest winemakers: Elisabetta Foradori.

Taking over her family estate at just 19 years of age, Elisabetta has channeled an obsession with plant genetics into developing one of the most revered wineries in the world. Championing biodynamic farming in addition to reviving the art of 'Selection Massale', she has worked tirelessly to ensure the health of her plants and soil, and to reflect them in her frankly incredible wines - each vintage a celebration of its conditions.

Manzoni Bianco is a hybrid grape made from Riesling and Pinot Bianco, and carries all of the wonderful acidity and minerality of the former, while bringing incredible florals and fruit over from the latter. Macerated for 7 days on its skins before aging in acacia barrels.

Tiny quantities available, so get your order in today!

07/08/2021

Not sure what you're looking for? Let us do the choosing for you with our Mixed Packs!

Select a theme and size (currently 3 or 6 bottles), and we'll do the rest. Each bottle will come with detailed service notes, and the whole package is guaranteed to be a great deal compared to the regular by the bottle price.

If you'd like us to tailor a package to more specific requests, or if you're sending this as a gift, then let us know in the order comments and we can work with you directly before sending over our selection.

06/08/2021

We're thrilled to have a small allocarion of Frank Cornellisen's 2020 'Susucaru' Rosato in at the store.

Grown on the volcanic slopes of Sicily's Mount Etna, this blend of Nerello Mascalese, Malvasia, Catarratto and Moscadella sits somewhere between being a full-bodied rosé or a light-bodied red in the Jura style. It's got bags of texture thanks to extended skin contact, but it's also incredibly fresh tasting. On the nose it's bursting with red fruits, a touch of smoky barnyard aromas, and an abundance of minerality. In the mouth this is exceptionally balanced, with low tannins and a medium acidity.

Belgian-born Frank is committed to minimal intervention in the vineyards and cellar. He plants buckwheat among the vines to help regenerate the soils, which impart so much to his wines. So much so, in fact, that they're often referred to as 'volcano juice' by those who eagerly snap up his tiny annual releases. Don't miss your chance to grab some today!

06/08/2021

We're thrilled to have a small amount of the legendary Frank Cornellisen's 2020 'Susucaru' Rosato in at the store. His releases are always eagerly anticipated, and getting your hands on a bottle can be very tough indeed!

Grown on the volcanic slopes of Sicily's Mount Etna, this blend of Nerello Mascalese, Malvasia, Catarratto and Moscadella sits somewhere between being a full-bodied rosé or a light-bodied red in the Jura style. It's got bags of texture thanks to extended skin contact, but it's also incredibly fresh tasting. On the nose it's bursting with red fruits, a touch of smoky barnyard aromas, and an abundance of minerality. In the mouth this is exceptionally balanced, with low tannins and a medium acidity.

Belgian-born Frank is committed to minimal intervention in the vineyards and cellar. He plants buckwheat among the vines to help regenerate the soils, which impart so much to his wines. So much so, in fact, that they're often referred to as 'volcano juice' by those who eagerly snap up his tiny annual releases. Don't miss your chance to grab some today!

05/08/2021

New addition to the store! Olivier Rivière's () 2019 vintage of his young, unoaked, biodynamic Rioja is our favourite so far. He's diverged from the Tempranillo-dominated versions that you might be more familiar with, to let the lesser-grown Graciano grape take centre stage at 50% of the blend, along with Garnacha (30%), and Tempranillo (20%).

Graciano's intense perfume and excellent structure are on full display here, with bright aromas of blackberries, cherries and dried herbs. It's fruity and fresh with some pepper and a touch of liquorice. Absolutely superb with grilled meats, so make sure this is in your bag for any barbecues you're attending this year - it's a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Rivière, as you might have guessed from the name, is actually a Frenchman, born in Cognac, who settled in Spain's Rioja Alta region in 2004 after being drafted by Telmo Rodriguez, one of the region's great pioneers, to convert his estate to biodynamics. Olivier quickly fell in love with the land and his wines are all designed to reflect the varied terroir of Rioja DOCa.

Available in the store via the link in our bio.

04/08/2021

For those wondering where the name 'Clairette' comes from, it's worth exploring a bottle made from our namesake grape, and this couldn't be a better example.

Clairette is actually one of the oldest grapes used for wine in France, dating back to the 1500s. Though it used to be extremely widespread, it's now more commonly found in the Rhône, and is probably best known in the blend that makes white Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It's also one of the very few grape names that is feminine. Most grapes are masculine, so the white variant would be 'Blanc', while here it is 'Blanche'.

Ok, enough nerding out. The grape itself actually produces full-bodied whites with fresh citrus and tropical aromas.

We were already fans of Radford Dale's South African take on the grape before settling on the name, but the 2019 vintage is just fantastic. Expressing wonderful mineral and floral aromas, this is all lemon and lime with a glorious saline finish. It's got great structure and a surprising amount of complexity, thanks in no small part to 4 days of skin contact prior to fermentation.

British-born Alex Dale and Aussie Ben Radford are the team that produce these fantastic natural wines in Stellenbosch, South Africa. They set the pace for ethical and environmentally conscious winemaking, even setting up a trust to help facilitate educational opportunities for children.

Available on the site - look for the link in our bio.

03/08/2021

We may be taking a break this week, but it's well worth getting your orders in for fulfillment and delivery once we return with recharged batteries. One of the best reasons for doing so may he in order to snag some of this delicious and unique sparkling vinhão from Portugal's master of natural wine, Vasco Croft.

Vasco gave up on a successful career as an architect to revive the family estate in Ponte de Lima, and brought some of the best winemakers in the world together to develop a truly biodynamic ecosystem where he operates in an almost closed loop of sustainability. The wines he makes are some of the freshest, tastiest, and most magical bottles we've had, and 'Pan' is no exception.

Made from vinhão, one of the rare grapes with red flesh, this pours a mesmerising deep hue of magenta in the glass. Rich aromas of cherry follow through in the mouth, accompanied by herbal and savoury notes, with a touch of brioche. Bubbles are fine and persistent, and the finish feels endless.

A very small quantity in store today. Make sure to grab a bottle before it disappears!

27/07/2021

Just added to the site! Domaine Vinci's 'Roc' is a superb blend of very old vine Grenaches (mostly noir, with a little gris and blanc added in) from the rocky scrubland of Rafalot Valley, near Perpignan.

Emmanuelle Vinci and Olivier Varichon started the winery after meeting in London, and work entirely by hand, letting their vines grow wild. The resultant wines are vibrant, mineral and pure - a real reflection of the beautiful land in which they're raised.

Roc is spontaneously fermented and matured in stainless steel in order to preserve the purity of the fruit, and the result is stellar: vibrantly perfumed, with beautiful ripe red fruit notes, and an elegant tannin structure. Limited availability - make sure to grab a bottle today!

24/07/2021

If you're after a fabulous value BBQ wine, you really shouldn't look much further than this natural 'Picofino' monastrell (mourvedre) from Andres Carull's 'Finca Casa Balaguer' project.

Grown in the salty, sandy soils of Valencia's Alicante region on the Eastern coast of Spain, this is a super fresh take on monastrell, with vibrant red and black fruits accompanied by eucalyptus and liquorice. It's got just enough structure and tannins to work beautifully with grilled meats like ribs and chorizo, without being too heavy to enjoy on a summer's day.

Organic, biodynamic, bottled unfined and unfiltered, with no added sulfur. Available on the site via the link in our bio.

21/07/2021

Adrien Berlioz, from the village of Chignin, has turned the family estate 'Cellier des Cray' into one of the most prestigious wineries in all of Savoie (a tiny region in the Alps bordering Switzerland and Italy - it produces less than 0.5% of all the wine in France).

From his 4.5ha domaine, he produces traditional varietal wines like this wonderful Jacquère. This is a super clean and fresh expression of the grape, with pronounced herbaceousness and aromas of freshly cut grass. Outstanding with cheese dishes, or seafood like scallops or shrimp.

The slopes on which the vines grow in Chignin are incredibly steep, with up to 50% inclination, so all work is done by hand using small tools only. The necessary attention to detail makes these wines a painstaking labour of love, and so wines from the area are rarely exported and are always a treat. We have four different wines from this region to choose from on the site, but quantities are very limited, so don't delay!

16/07/2021

New Arrival! Yann Durrmann's 'Cuvée Nature' Pinot Noir Rosé is fresh up on the site, and we mean FRESH!

Harvested early and produced without any additions in the cellar, it's a superb example of how a hands-off approach can result in fruit-driven wines that really sing. This one's bursting with notes of redcurrant and raspberry.

The Durrmann family estate was created in 1979 by a shoemaker with a dream but no experience. Two generations later, Yann is considered one of the foremost winemakers in the area due to his careful and considerate approach to preserving the land and the way he cherishes his vines.

Limited availability! Make sure to grab a bottle before they run out!

07/07/2021

Huge and exciting announcement!
Clairette is now offering by the bottle delivery of our selection of organic, biodynamic, and natural wines across the GTA, from Oakville to Pickering! Deliveries every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Free delivery available for multi-bottle purchases. See our website for more details.

06/07/2021

If you're checking out the website, please don't miss this wonderful Carignan-Zinfandel blend from , one of our very favourite California winemakers.

Martha's work in the vineyards and cellar are a perfect example of the winemaking we like to highlight: in the face of California's long-term water crisis, she has chosen to dry farm her vines. This means using older vineyards with deeper roots, as well as grape varieties that don't require as much water to ripen. In the cellar, she ferments naturally, and prefers to rely on longer élevage to stabilise her wines rather than heavy applications of SO2.

As a result, her wines are often a lighter style, with delicious crunchy acidity and bright fruit. We snagged a small allocation of 'Post Flirtation Red' as it's a superb illustration of Martha's approach. Expect notes of hibiscus, 🍊 peel and pomegranate, alongside some baking spice. Terrific!

03/07/2021

New up on the site! 'Pet'Native' is a gorgeous and focused rosé sparkler made in the Lorraine (between Champagne and Alsace) from Gamay, Pinot Noir and Auxerrois.

With notes of strawberry, brioche and anise, this is a step up from so many of the pet'nats we've had before. Wilfried spent five years in Champagne before taking over the family estate, and it shows in how precise and clean the wine is. Utterly delicious - make sure you grab a bottle before we run out!

01/07/2021

New in store! Suertes del Marquès 'La Floridita Bonus Track' is a breath of fresh Canarian air, blowing in from the beautiful island of Tenerife.

Made from indigenous varietal Listan Negro, and grown in Tenerife's unique volcanic soils at high altitude, this chillable red has bright notes of raspberry and herbs, and a lovely saline finish.

Dangerously easy to drink on a warm night in the back yard, it's yours for $40. Order via the link in our bio by end of day today for delivery Friday across Toronto.

30/06/2021

The Clairette website is finally live! Offering wine delivery by the bottle across Toronto for thoughtfully chosen and hard to find wines.

Follow the link in our bio, and don't forget to sign up for the newsletter for updates on province-wide delivery, new releases and special promotions.

All customers can access us at any time for help with selections and pairings, or for other services like guided tastings and cellar management.

Looking forward to helping you find great wine!

24/06/2021

24/06/2021