The best way to boost your wine knowledge & enjoy high-quality affordable wines

 

 

Let Us Bring the SuperNatural South of France to You!

 

Choose from our Amphora, Cathar, or Mediterranean collections to receive quarterly curated shipments of hard-to-find, small batch, artisanal wines.

• Be the first to experience the undiscovered cuvées of the Languedoc-Roussillon 
• Attend live video Q&A events with winemakers, chefs, and sommeliers
• Receive food pairing recipes and tasting notes
• Customize your collection for all red or all white
• Memberships start at $29/month (billed quarterly)
• Complimentary shipping and 15% off individual bottles from our shop — anytime

 

Join the Club

 

If you’re already a club member we have some exciting news for you below about our upcoming shipments—and please share the news about our wine club with friends who don’t know yet about The Princess and The Bear. 

 

Many of our winemakers have embraced organic, biodynamic & chemical-free viticulture.
 

 

Our club is one of a kind. The Princess and The Bear is the only wine club focused exclusively on the Languedoc-Roussillon, described by wine critics as "the most exciting wine region of the whole of France." 

In a recent New York Times piece, Eric Asimov highlighted the incredible wines of Languedoc and the importance of knowing the right winemakers. That's where we come in! Our wines are curated with the assistance of award-winning wine purveyors, Richard and Linda Neville. Richard also chooses wines for sampling for the famous European wine critic and wine writer, Jancis Robinson. 

We also travel throughout the region, personally meeting winemakers and tasting hundreds of wines. The result — high caliber wines that are also affordable. 

 

Recipes for the perfect meal pairings are included with each wine 

Each quarterly shipment from our Amphora, Cathar, and Mediterranean Collections includes tasting notes from a Languedoc sommelier and recipes for delicious food pairings. 

Cathar and Mediterranean club members can boost their wine knowledge and ask questions during live video Q&A events with the Princess and the BearFounders, Carol and Steve, as well as guest sommeliers, winemakers, and chefs of the Languedoc region. 

Once a year, our Mediterranean club members can attend an Invitation-Only wine tasting evening in the Languedoc-Roussillon. Carol and Steve are joined by their sommelier, chef, and other wine-loving friends for an unforgettable evening of wine, cuisine, and culture.  

 

The Bear with one of our new winemakers, Simon Coulshaw of Domaine Trinites

 

Our next club shipment will be extra special because we're introducing several exciting new winemakers. Here are two of these bright stars:

Séverine Bourrier of Domaine Château de l’Ou is one of the women winemakers who is fueling the Languedoc wine renaissance. Château de l’Ou was recently touted as "A Rising Star in the Roussillon" by wine critic, Jeb Dunnuck. Our June shipment will contain her Syrah, Infiniment de l’Ou 2016, which Jeb describes as a "broad, expansive and supple" cuvée that "drinks well right out of the gate."

Simon Coulshaw of Domaine des Trinités was drawn to the Languedoc because he felt its pockets of “terroir” offered a better opportunity to create extraordinary wines than the more commercial wine producing regions. Our June shipment will contain his wine, Trinités l’imaginaire with Rousanne. This is a rare orange wine that's full-bodied, clean and intense with flavors of almonds, pears, and honey. 

What are you waiting for?! Join today and secure an Amphora, Cathar, or Mediterranean Collection in time for our June shipments.

 

Join the Club

 

 

Wild herbs and the light-filled wines of spring

 

Wild Rosemary in the Languedoc

 

Spring in the south of France, and the Languedoc-Roussillon, means a return of the light and the blossoming of spring herbs. 
Wild rosemary, thyme, and fennel are part of the "garrigue," the rich vegetation which intermingles with the vines, lending beautifully complex flavors and aromas to the wines.

Spring also means a return to bright, crisp wines to accompany the fresh flavors of the warmer months.

Below you'll find two herb-influenced whites and a sparkling to welcome back the light!

Wines With an Herbal Touch

 

Domaine Jougla

2017 Eime De Vinhem

$26.99

Warning: this wine is incredibly drinkable! A classic blend of white varietals—Vermentino, Grenache Blanc and Viognier. The vines are situated within the ‘garrigue,’ so rosemary, fennel, and thyme contribute to the aroma. Expresses pear and blossom in the nose. Rich and generous in the mouth.

 

 

Domaine de Cabrol

2016 Cabrol Blanc 
$25.99

 

This white is created with Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Gros Manseng, Viognier and Sémillon. Quite a cast! The vines grow alongside rosemary, thyme, and fennel, lending an herbal touch. You'll also find nice citrus fruits with some tropical, fresh mango.

 

 

Sparkling Wine Lets the Light In

 

 

 

J.Laurens

2016 Le Clos Des Demoiselles

$26.99

This top cuvée offers a smashing, and some say preferable, alternative to classic Champagne! 
Delicate and fine bubbles, hints of buttery toasted biscuit, white flowers and a long finish. Perfect!

 

 

À votre santé,
The Princess and the Bear

How to find unforgettable wines: a medieval village, complex terroir & 100 years of family-run viticulture

 

On the Road with The Princess and the Bear

 

St. Guilhem le Desert, where one of our wine domaines, La Voûte de Verdus, has been operating for over 100 years.

 

Our quest to bring you the undiscovered wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon area of France takes us throughout the region. We immerse ourselves in the rich history and beauty of the area and meet the colorful personalities and innovative winemakers at the heart of the winemaking renaissance.

Last weekend we visited one of our wineries, La Voûte du Verdus, a family-owned domaine located in the medieval town of St. Guilhem le Desert, an ancient commune officially designated as one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France. 

The vineyard was planted over 100 years ago and is managed by Guilhem Bonnet, a third-generation winemaker. You'll find two delicious La Voûte du Verdus wines toward the end of this post. 

 

 

La Voûte du Verdus (“Vault of the Verdus River”) is so named because the cave in which the Bonnet family makes the wine sits atop the Verdus River, which runs through the center of St. Guilhem le Desert.

 

 

Here, the father, Guilhem Bonnet—who is a winemaker and the vineyard manager—shows the Bear newly planted Vermentino vines. At 3 years old, these grapes have just "come of age" for winemaking in a blend with grapes from older vines.

The vineyards of La Voûte du Verdus are situated in the appellation Terrasses du Larzac, considered one of the finest appellations in the Languedoc. Cooling winds from the Black Mountains keep the grapes from ripening too quickly. The longer grapes sit on the vine, the more complex the flavors. Complexity equals delicious.  😍

 

 

The Princess chats with Mélanie Estival, daughter and fourth-generation winemaker of the family-run La Voûte du Verdus. In the background, the Verdus River flows beneath the cave (or "vault") where the wine is made. And of course, Gigi is enjoying the scenery!

 

Domaine La Voûte De Verdus

 

 

2015 Grand Saut

45% Carignan, 45% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 5% Grenache Noir

This top red cuvée is a beast! The Carignan is a true Mediterranean varietal, totally adapted to the climate. Together with Mourvèdre this is the heart of the blend. Syrah and Grenache Noir are like salt and pepper. 

The result? A deep red wine with spicy and leather aromas in the nose, soft and silky tannins, and a long aftertaste without being heavy. So, so delicious!

Perfect with game, duck confit, and hard cheeses.

 

 

 

2017 Le Désert Blanc 
50% Colombard, 50% Grenache Blanc

This is a Princess favorite!
This La Voûte du Verdus Blanc is equal parts Colombard and Grenache Blanc. The wine is deceptively pale in color because it carries very expressive fruit in the nose (green apple, lime). It has a fresh and acidic attack but is still round and full in character.

Excellent with seafood, chicken, prawns and goat cheeses.

 

The perfect wine for spicy-sweet Shrimp Tempura? [Recipe Inside]

 

 

April Food and Wine Pairing

 

Each month we offer you a new pairing of a savory recipe with one of our extraordinary "undiscovered" wines from the Languedoc. It's our way of saying merci for joining us on this adventure into winemaking in the Languedoc-Roussillon, an area wine critics describe as "the most exciting wine region of the whole of France." 

This month we've paired the tartness of a 2018 Soif L'idéal white with the spicy-sweet goodness of Tempura Fried Shrimp and Ginger-Chili Dipping Sauce. 
 

Featured Wine

 

TERRASSES DE GABRIELLE
2018 SOIF L'IDÉAL 
30% GRENACHE BLANC, 30% ROUSSANNE,
30% VERMENTINO, 10% VIOGNIER

This may become your own “ideal thirst” quencher. The structure and acidity of the Grenache Blanc and Vermentino blended with the honeyed pear and peach flowers of the Roussanne and Viognier creates a wine that is lively and engaging. Finishes with a smooth, nut bread hint. The tartness perfectly complements fried food, including this month's Shrimp Tempura recipe.

 

 

 

Featured Recipe

 

Tempura Fried Shrimp, Ginger-Chili Dipping Sauce and Jasmine Rice

Savor with Terrasses de Gabrielle
2018 Soif L'idéal. 

 

 

 

Bon Appétit!