Troebel Wijnen
Circulé Clairet 2024 - Colonjes
Circulé Clairet 2024 - Colonjes
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The Wine & Winemaker
- Winemaker: Adam (Wijnhoeve de Colonjes)
- Region: Groesbeek, Gelderland, Netherlands
- Grape: 100% Cabernet Cortis
The Story
For our fifth bottle, we happily return to Groesbeek, to the vineyards of Wijnhoeve de Colonjes. While we previously introduced you to their expressive white wine, winemaker Adam proves here that the Gelderland terroir can also produce beautiful reds. For this organic wine, he exclusively uses the robust Cabernet Cortis grape. However, what makes this bottle truly special is the production method. Adam deliberately chose to craft this wine in the classic style of a 'Clairet'. This is an ancient style originating from the French Bordeaux region that sits somewhere between a dark rosé and a light red wine. To ensure the wine still has plenty of backbone and complexity, the cool fermentation and subsequent aging take place entirely in French oak barrels. It is a fantastic local tribute to a historical wine style.
The Vibe & Tasting Notes
The Circulé Clairet is exactly what you would expect from this style: incredibly supple and uncomplicated in the very best sense of the word. In the glass, you see a bright, lively red color. The nose is immediately inviting with an explosion of summer fruit, packed with juicy blackberries and sweet strawberries. Thanks to the fermentation and aging in French oak, the wine gains a very elegant, soft touch of vanilla, without the wood ever becoming overpowering. The tannins are velvety soft, and with zero grams of residual sugar, it is beautifully tight and bone dry. Although the label recommends serving it at eighteen degrees, we personally find it even more delicious slightly chilled (around fourteen degrees), especially alongside a light meal or sunny afternoon drinks.
Why natural wine costs more, and why it’s worth it
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No shortcuts
Growers who refuse pesticides and chemical additives accept that they’ll lose a significant part of their harvest to weather, disease, and unpredictable nature, but they do it to keep their wines pure, alive, and honest.
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Risk and loss
Nature swings between plenty and scarcity; frost, hail, heat and ferments can erase volumes, fewer bottles must carry the farm’s costs, with ageing measures adding expense to keep the wine clean and true over time.
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Integrity and handwork
Hands replace chemicals: they weed, manage canopies, pick, and sort by hand; presses and gravity moves protect texture, while cleanliness and patient ageing deliver purity without shortcuts, increasing labor but preserving integrity in every bottle.
