100% Pinot Gris

Sextant is the project of Julien Altaber, a negociant winemaker based in St Aubin, Burgundy. For Julien, Sextant is about "Special cuvées, pet-nats, skins, fun and non-traditional wines". The cellar is seen as a place to experiment and create, rather than only making terroir-based wines with big appellation names.

Originally from the Auvergne, Julien Altaber started his career at the side of Dominique Derain in Saint-Aubin. Keen to produce his own cuvées, the two struck a deal whereby Julien would continue to help Dominique - all the while learning his trade - and in return he would help Julien source fruit and loan him the use of his cellar to produce his wines. Julien has now taken over from Dominique and runs both Derain and Sextant. Julien owns a 90-year-old Aligoté parcel plot in Puligny that he bought in 2009, and he also works with several organic growers in the Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise. A little Gamay and Pinot Gris comes in from Beaujolais as well.

With its lightly pink skins, Pinot Gris makes skin-contact wines that often end up somewhere between a rosé and an orange wine. This cuvée from Sextant is a brilliantly energetic wine made with Pinot Gris sourced from Patrick Besson in Beaujolais. Two weeks of skin contact makes for a bright, punchy wine with notes of rhubarb, orange peel and spice.

Tasting Notes: Bright and punchy with notes of rhubarb, orange peel and spice.

Food Pairing: Great with some aged Manchego or a little Ossau Iraty.