# Vas-y Rouge (2025)

- **Producer:** Domaine Le Raisin à Plume
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Gamay
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €15
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** No
- **When to drink:** Now
- **Serving temperature:** 12–14 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** raspberry, strawberry, redcurrant, cherry

## About this wine

Domaine Le Raisin à Plume was founded in 2014 by Jacques Février and his partner Julie in Oudon, located along the north bank of the Loire River in the Coteaux d'Ancenis area. After gaining experience as a sommelier in France and Australia, where he befriended natural winemaking pioneers, Jacques returned to his native Loire Valley to create low-intervention wines. The estate operates organically across schist and gneiss soils, producing small-batch wines under the Vin de France designation.

## Interesting facts

- Founder Jacques Février trained as a sommelier in Australia alongside natural winemaking legend Anton van Klopper.
- The name 'Le Raisin à Plume' translates to 'The Feathered Grape', symbolizing lightness and purity.
- Due to 2025 hail damage, the Gamay was direct-pressed, sharing base juice with their sparkling 'Vas-y Bulles'.

## Food pairing

With high, energetic acidity and minimal tannin, this light-bodied red acts much like a full-bodied white wine or rosé at the table. It cuts through the fat of charcuterie and light pork while remaining delicate enough to complement fresh goat cheeses and grilled vegetables without overwhelming them.

## Wine making process

Following vineyard hail damage during the 2025 vintage, Jacques adapted his winemaking process by utilizing direct pressing of whole-bunch Gamay grapes with minimal skin maceration. Fermentation occurred spontaneously using ambient indigenous yeasts with zero chemical additives. The wine was aged in neutral fiberglass tanks to preserve purity before being bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without added sulfites.