Collection: Domaine Thierry Naval

[The most respected natural producer in Saint-Chinian]

Thierry Naval is an iconic figure in the Languedoc. Widely recognized as one of the region's most respected natural winemakers, his wines are praised for their depth, complexity, and terroir character. He is particularly known for his work in upholding family traditions and reviving lost ancient and low-alcohol varieties.

Thierry took over the Domaine's vineyards in 1988 and is dedicated to winemaking on 15 hectares in the picturesque village of Roqueblanc. His vineyards are organically managed and planted with a wide variety of grapes, from well-known to rare varieties, including Liberanque, Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache Noir, Carignan, Romorantin, Clairette, Grenache Gris, Marsanne, Terret, and Muscat Petit Grand Blanc.

These vineyards are southwest-facing and feature loose brown schist soils. These conditions produce wines that are lighter, more mineral, more delicate, and more elegant than those from the southern Saint-Chinian. The low-alcohol, light-colored "Le Vin d'Oeillades" (a relative of Cinsault) and "Le Ribeyrenc" are highly regarded as "hidden gems" among French sommeliers.

The grapes are hand-harvested, some whole-cluster or partially destemmed. They then undergo spontaneous fermentation in cement tanks, with some cuvées vinified traditionally and others with carbonic maceration. The wines are aged for 12 months in tanks, 228L or 500L old barrels, and foudres. The wines are not final fined, but are lightly filtered and contain minimal amounts of sulfites.