Forging Her Own Path — Diane Losfelt, Winemaker of the Year

Our celebration of International Women's Day and Women's History Month continues! Today we raise a glass to Diane Losfelt of Château de l'Engarran, one of our winemakers who was recently awarded Winemaker of the Year by Guide Hachette, a publication considered by many to be the “bible” of French wine.

Diane has been the owner and winemaker at Château de l'Engarran for more than 30 years. Her guiding principles for creating her wines are authentic terroirs, elegance, and, above all, personality. Her wines embody strong character and high style — like the winemaker herself!

Steve and Carol visit Diane at Château de l'Engarran. Princess and Bear is proud to carry 2019 Château de l'Engarran Rosé, 2019 La Lionne Blanc, and 2013 Quetton Saint Georges.

We asked Diane to share her thoughts on receiving the Winemaker of the Year Award, as well as the challenges and rewards of being a female winemaker in an industry where women are still underrepresented. She also described her vision for the future of Château de l'Engarran and the launch of a new cuvée!

The winery operates in a 17th century chateau with a romantic, formal French garden surrounded by 60 hectares of vineyards.

This isn’t the first time Diane and her wines have been recognized by Guide Hachette. On five prior occasions, her wines have received the guide’s highest rating (3 stars and a coup de coeur); most recently, Château de l’Engarran Grés de Montpellier 2017 for the 2021 Guide Hachette. 

The exceptional rating for Château de l’Engarran Grés de Montpellier carries special meaning for Diane because it honors a wine first bottled by her mother, Francine, in 1978.  Diane said the acknowledgement brought "joy and satisfaction to be shared with your team and family. The way, all through these years, from one winemaker to another, from one woman to another, from one vintage to another.”

Château de l'Engarran is certified Terra Vitis. This means the winery practices responsible, sustainable farming while respecting both the earth and the people who live and work nearby.

Despite the previous awards, Diane was amazed to learn she'd been named Guide Hachette's 2021 Winemaker of the Year for the Languedoc region. “Of course after 37 years of being a winemaker, you hope you’re doing your job the right way," she said. "And I'd already won some awards. But this is like the 'grail,' the utmost acknowledgment.”

Left to right: Diane, her mother, Francine, and sister, Constance.

Being a woman in an industry steeped in tradition and dominated by men for hundreds of years has been both challenging and deeply gratifying. At the start of her career, Diane aroused suspicion among her winemaking peers in the Languedoc. Not only was she a woman and young mother, she was considered overly intellectual because of her degree in Agronomical Engineering. Being from Paris didn’t help either. “Nobody trusted me. I had to fight my way through, step by step.” 

Diane discusses winemaking.

During one harvest, when she was pregnant with her third child, the chief harvester remarked that he hoped it was boy. When Diane asked why, he stated matter-of-factly that the son could take charge of the vineyard. “What am I doing now,” Diane replied, “if not being in charge of the vineyard?” 

Diane is keenly aware that her career would have progressed more rapidly if she were a man. However, she feels the slower path has presented its own opportunities. She is the first woman to join the Languedoc Producers Union — and the first to become vice president. Often, hers was the only female voice among the men. “And I can tell you, I made my voice loud enough!” 

Her advice to up-and-coming female winemakers? “It’s a fight...but it is worth it! Women are allowed to have ambition, and they are remarkably underrepresented in the upper echelons of the Producers Union.” 

Diane and her niece, Emilie, will continue to fight the good fight, exploring the enormous potential of the Languedoc and drawing upon the extraordinary terroir and history of Château de l'Engarran to create delicious wines with distinctive personalities. “Ours is now among the best wineries of the Languedoc. My Mother was right, l’Engarran is worth it!” 

To celebrate the Hachette award and the power of the feminine, Diane and Emilie are launching a new cuvée, ELLE.  We can’t wait to raise a glass! 

 

Orange Roussannes, Aromatic Viogniers—Discover What We're Drinking Now!

Our Princess and Bear team members are lucky enough to sample most of our Languedoc-Roussillon wines. With an abundance of delicious cuvées, it can be difficult to settle on an all-time favorite. 

So we decided to share what we're drinking (and loving!) now — an orange Roussanne, an herb-infused red, a pure, aromatic Viognier, and more.

Read on to discover our current faves, why they're special, and tasty pairing recommendations for each. 

 

Why She Loves It: “The ageless taste of nature, the comfort of a thirsty spirit—to me, 2017 L'Imaginaire is a reminder that grapes blended with great human qualities and effort can mirror what Mother Earth can offer. The perfume of baked apples, orange peel, honey, quinces and fermented grapes reminds me of cold winter evenings when grandpa would retrieve a jug of wine from the cellar to place on the table in the fireplace-warmed room.” 

Perfect Pairing:  "L'Imaginaire pairs beautifully with homemade wild mushroom casserole."

How To Get It:  Discover 2017 L'Imaginaire here.

 

Why She Loves It: "This wine is smooth, rich and beautifully made. The flavors of herbs, dark fruit and chocolate are amazing and increasingly complex as the wine breathes."

Perfect Pairing: "I love drinking this wine with a beautiful charcuterie board full of organic meats, green grapes, Manchego and fig jam!"

How To Get It: Our wine club members will enjoy La Pimpanela as part of the next club shipment. For the rest of you wine lovers, stay tuned! We'll be offering La Pimpanela on the website in mid-March. 

 

Why She Loves It: “The herbal scents in Et Moi, Et Moi, Et Moi remind me of the wild garrigue around the vineyards of Domaine Terrasses de Gabrielle.”

Perfect Pairing: "I recently paired Et Moi with lasagna-stuffed portabella mushrooms. The fennel in the sausage enhanced the herbal qualities of the wine. So delicious!"  

How To Get It: Discover Et Moi, Et Moi, Et Moi here.

 

Why She Loves It: “I love this Viognier because it is a very clean and pure expression of this lovely aromatic grape." 

Perfect Pairing: "Je Suis Tombe Par Terré is just delicious with Salade Niçoise or any crisp salad topped with a little seafood and other goodies.” 

How To Get It: Discover Je Suis Tombe Par Terré here.

 

Why He Loves It: “We’ve been in Hawaii for the last month visiting one of our children. It’s warm here and sometimes red wines can feel a little heavy in warm weather. We chilled Lo Camin and thoroughly enjoyed the full flavor and soft tannins."  

Perfect Pairing: "This wine pairs well with lamb shoulder stewed in Harissa and a cauliflower gratin, a meal we recently enjoyed while dining outside with friends. The wine was absolutely delicious and held up to the strong flavors of the lamb.” 

How To Get It: Our wine club members had first access to Lo Camin before it quickly sold out on our website. Yet another reason to join our wine club! We'd love to have you :) Learn more here. 

Three Fabulous New Winemakers Join the Princess & Bear Family

As we enter the new year, we’d like to welcome three fabulous new winemakers to our Princess and Bear family. Each embodies the qualities we’ve come to love in the wines and winemakers of the Languedoc-Roussillon — small batch, affordable, delicious cuvées made with creativity, brilliance, and passion.

Winemakers Franck and Christina Avéla.

Domaine Avéla exemplifies one of our core values, “small is beautiful.” The four tiny vineyards of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Carignan are devoted to a single wine, Domaine Avéla Théodore. Owners Franck and Christina Avéla carry out all aspects of the domaine’s operations, from pruning three times a year, to harvesting and destemming by hand, to fermentation. They also practice organic viticulture and use no chemicals or added yeast. The Carignan vines are over 100 years old.

Before becoming a winemaker, Franck was a second-generation cooper, so perhaps it’s not surprising that Théodore is an oaked red wine; or that Franck brings meticulous, hands-on craftsmanship to winemaking, as does Christina.

Such care has paid off — Domaine Avéla’s “only child” is sold in over 40 Michelin Star restaurants around the world.

Carol and Steve join winemakers Franck and Christina Avéla for last year’s harvest.

 

Jean Orliac, a professor of agriculture and an avid rock climber, became enamored of the region nestled between Pic Saint Loup and Montagne de l’Hortus after scaling the area’s iconic limestone cliffs. He also recognized the winemaking potential of the terroir which benefits from both the warm Marin winds of the Mediterranean and the cool, dry gusts of the Cévennes Mountains to the north.

In 1978, Jean and his wife, Marie-Thérèse, purchased 50 hectares and founded Domaine de l'Hortus. But it wasn’t until 1990, after years spent nurturing the vines and revitalizing the land, that the Orliacs bottled their first wine.

Today, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc flourish on the domaine’s north-facing slopes. Grenache and Mourvèdre ripen on plots warmed by full southern exposure. Marie-Thérèse and Jean’s children, Yves, Martin, François, and Marie, carry on the family tradition of crafting wines with character and finesse.

Steve (right) with Yves Orliac (left) of Domaine de l’Hortus. 

 

Carol (right) visits the winemaking cave of La Croix Gratiot. Winemaker, Anaïs Ricome (left) uses the ancient Roman technique of stone amphora to make some of her delicious wines. 

Domaine La Croix Gratiot is a beautiful example of the intersection of community, culture, and creativity that characterizes many Languedoc winemakers. Brothers Yves and Hugues Ricome built the winery in 2004 on land farmed by their family for generations. In 2007, they passed the winemaking torch to Yves’s daughter, Anaïs Ricome, a young winemaker (and rising star!) who studied viticulture in New Zealand.

Anaïs maintains a keen interest in traditional and artisanal winemaking, including the use of clay amphora, a technique Romans used for both aging and storage. But she’s also driven by the maverick spirit that has fueled the Languedoc winemaking renaissance. Bucking conventional wisdom, she chose to plant Pinot Noir on terroir generally considered unfavorable for that varietal.

La Croix Gratiot practices Reasoned Agriculture, balancing farming and wine production with biodiversity, environmental and animal welfare, and the health of the surrounding lands. That includes the artistic wellbeing of the community! The domaine sponsors music festivals and provides a venue for art and photography exhibits, sometimes in the winemaking cave itself.

The wines of Domaine Avéla, Domaine de l’Hortus, and Domaine La Croix Gratiot will soon be available to our wineclub members, and then to everyone who visits our website. Stay tuned! We promise to keep you posted :)  

A votre santé,

Carol & Steve

Essentials For A Safe, Joyful Reunion

 

For the past six weeks, our small village in the south of France has been in a second round of lockdown. The first lasted almost four months. Outings are restricted to grocery shopping and outdoor exercising. Social gatherings are interdict and bars and restaurants are shuttered. Community spaces are as barren as the vineyards, now asleep with the winter chill.

 

Despite the return to lockdown, our village has felt comfortable and safe. Our daily routines keep us grounded and walks through the beautiful countryside buoy our spirits. Aside from a few Covid-safe road trips, we've been content to stay put.

But when we received news that Carol’s 94-year-old mom had contracted Covid, we immediately began to prepare the necessary documents to travel within France and fly to the US. As American citizens with French residence cards, we’re subject to the same restrictions as French citizens. Fortunately, these mandates include travel exceptions to care for an elderly relative.

It was a little scary to leave the comfort and safety of our village and journey to the US, especially in the midst of the winter resurgence. Our watchwords were “safety” and “preparedness.”   

Covid travel essentials, including an essential read :)

 

First step — transportation to Paris and Charles de Gaulle Airport. We were concerned about taking a taxi to the nearest airport, an hour away, with a driver we didn't know. As well, the local regional airlines have been crowded and not maintaining empty seats between passengers. We decided our safest option was to drive, an 8-hour journey with a pitstop in Orléans.

We drove beneath brilliant blue skies en route to Orléans, at one point traversing the Millau Viaduct, one of the tallest bridges in the world and an architectural marvel. The effect of the cables whipping past is mesmerizing…

 

In Orléans, it felt good to stretch our legs after our long drive, even though it was freezing!

Left: Winter-barren trees in Orléans on the Loire River. Right: Gigi hunkers down against the cold in Orléans.

 

When we arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport, we were heartened to see the level of compliance by travelers, from masks, to face shields, to full body PPE. This was generally the case in the Newark and Houston airports as well.   

 

We enjoyed a nearly empty flight to Newark, but our connecting flight was full. As dawn broke through the clouds over Houston, we were relieved to touch down.

Left: Full flight from Newark. Right: Good morning, Houston!

 

But our greatest relief, and gratitude, stems from the recovery of Carol’s mother. She is stable and content, knowing that family is close by, awaiting a safe, joyful reunion in the near future.

From all of us at the Princess and the Bear, we wish you a safe, healthy, and peaceful holiday and a blessed New Year.

A votre santé,

Carol & Steve

 

There’s Always Hope! Thanksgiving Wishes (and a recipe) from Carol & Steve

 

2020 has been an extraordinarily challenging year, including the recent reinstatement of Covid restrictions here in France and elsewhere in the world. And yet, in some ways these challenges have served to remind us of the things we hold most dear – community, caring, family, and friends. Taking care of each other.

And as Carol and Steve reflect in this video, amidst the vines of late autumn, there's always hope!

 

In this spirit of hope, gratitude, and celebration, we thought we’d share a Thanksgiving recipe. Although we are meat eaters (and the red wines of the Languedoc-Roussillon are spectacular with meat dishes), we have several family members and many friends who are vegetarian or vegan. For these folks we offer this delicious Thanksgiving alternative to turkey—Vegetarian or Vegan Sage Butternut Squash. 

 

 

For our friends who’ll be serving traditional Thanksgiving turkey, please enjoy this recipe for The Best Sage-Cornbread Stuffing, courtesy of Carol's grandmother, Lela Carr Eads. 

 

 

Also in the spirit of celebration, we’d like to congratulate Diane Losfelt, one of our winemakers, who was recently designated Winemaker of the Year by Guide Hachette! Diane has been the owner and winemaker at Chateau de l'Engarran for more than 30 years. Her guiding principles for creating her wines are authentic terroirs, elegance, and, above all, personality. Her wines embody strong character and high style — like the winemaker herself. 

Congratulations Diane! We look forward to continuing to share the wines of Chateau de l'Engarran with our Princess and Bear community. 

 

 

We’ll leave you with Carol’s ongoing photo journal which offers a glimpse into why we’ve fallen in love with the wine, landscape, and culture of the Languedoc-Roussillon. Enjoy!

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In the wake of the wine harvest, late fall continues to ignite the countryside and vineyards in shades of fiery orange, majestic gold, and deep crimson. 

Here we catch the sunset…

 

...even as the moon rises.

 

Autumn comes to a Languedoc vineyard in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Unlike the monoculture of large commercial operations, this vineyard is surrounded the native scrubland and herbal plants of the wild garrigue.

 

Named for the Roman goddess of wisdom, the village of Minerve was a Cathar stronghold as they were under seige from the Pope's army. 

Architecture, Pride of Place, and Fall Splendor in the Pyrenees

 

Recently, we returned to Basque Country to explore the villages and witness the arrival of fall in the Pyrenees Mountains. As we traveled the mountain roads, weaving from France to Spain and back again, we pulled over to witness a magic moment high above the village of Pierrefitte-Nestalas …

 

 

We’re fascinated by the Basque region because it provides a glimpse into the history of Europe. Before modern European nations such as France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, local tribes ruled the land. The Basque people descend directly from one of these groups. Their language and culture survives in an area that straddles the Spanish and French borders through the Pyrenees and along the Atlantic coast from Bayonne, France to Bilbao, Spain.

 

 

Raising sheep for cheese and wool is an age-old occupation in this region so we weren’t surprised to have a “sheep sighting.” The tinkle of herding bells is one of the sounds of fall in Basque Country as they migrate from higher altitudes to the warmer pastures below.

As we drove through the region, we spotted road signs written in the Basque language alongside French or Spanish, including the sign announcing the charming village of Ezpeleta/Espelette (Basque/French). Each Basque village is a treasure. Pride of place, relationship to the land, and respect for ancient customs have preserved the culture, language and architecture to an extraordinary degree.

In Espelette, we wandered the quaint streets, window shopping and sampling regional fare. The Basques are known throughout the world for their wonderful culinary tradition which includes cured meats, cheeses (especially chevre), fresh peppers and the much-loved Espelette dried peppers. 

 

 

We also admired the buildings, shops and homes. In our travels in Europe and other places, we’ve noticed that consistency in the architecture is what gives a region a distinctive character or personality. The architecture of the Basque region is remarkably consistent—both within each village and between villages. 

 

 

This is because historically builders and architects relied on locally sourced clay, wood, stone and other materials. Over the years, that practice has been maintained. Each village is unique and vibrant, yet in harmony with the region and the land. There is almost a sense that the buildings sprang straight from the earth! 

 

 

This sense of place is all-pervasive. We felt it even in a centuries-old cemetery in Urdax, a village with a population of less than 400, famous for its prehistoric caves. 

 

Throughout our road trip, we were greeted with cosy reminders of fall—the migrating sheep, the warm hues of the changing leaves, the mists cloaking the mountainside, the invigorating chill in the air.  

Harvesting Perfection: 2,000 Years of Winemaking Tradition

Hand-harvesting with Christine and Franck, owners of Domaine Avela and newest members of the Princess & Bear family

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The golden days of early fall in the Languedoc-Roussillon herald the return of a 2,000-year-old winemaking tradition — the harvest of the grapes! It’s one of our favorite times of year. We stroll through the vineyards surrounding our village of Quarante, sampling different grape varieties right off the vine. And we never miss an opportunity to join in the harvesting fun. 

Part of our mission is to support small family farms. Most of our winemakers average only 50 acres. When hand-harvesting, many of these farmers depend on family and friends to pitch in alongside a skilled crew of workers.

Hand-harvesting requires earlier risers. A typical day begins at 4am when the cooler air protects the grapes from premature oxidation. It also requires good knees! Low-hanging fruit calls for lots of squatting :)

Harvest-ready red Carignan grapes and white Vermentino grapes

According to Camille Izarn, a young, rising star at Borie La Vitarele, for each grape and vineyard there exists a perfect day to harvest. Winemakers often rely on testing the sugars, but in her opinion the real harvesting magic comes from identifying that perfect day by taste alone. By walking the vineyards and continuously sampling the grapes, a winemaker can determine if the tannins in red grapes such as Carignan are well-developed (as they should be); and in white grapes, like Vermentino, whether the sugar level is low enough to retain acidity. When that perfect day arrives, the winemaker summons the troops and the harvest begins!

Most of our winemakers hand-harvest but some rely on machines to bring in the grapes. What’s the difference? 

The main benefit of hand-harvesting is the gentleness of the process. Grape skins remain intact, preventing oxidation and premature fermentation. This added care is crucial. The moment a grape ruptures and releases juice, oxidation begins and the fresh fruit flavors degrade. Not even chemical additives can counter this (though none of our winemakers use additives). 

Interestingly, the oldest vineyards must be hand-harvested. They were planted before modern tractors existed so the "horse-width" rows are too narrow for machine harvesting. 

Left—Friends and family members join a crew from Spain who've been hand-harvesting for Borie la Vitarele for years. Right—Carol, Steve, and Gigi in the vines at sunrise.

And the benefits of machine-harvesting? Tractors save time and money, especailly for larger vineyards. But the process is rough. Grapes are scraped from the vine with silicone “fingers.” Even if the grapes survive this phase intact, there's the risk of being crushed in the storage vats beneath the weight of the rest of the grapes.

The key is to quickly transport the fruit from the field into tanks or the winepress. All of our winemakers farm their own vineyards with the caves close by.  So the grapes are out of the vineyard and in the tank within the hour. The result —  delicious, fresh wines with lovely fruit flavor. 

 Carol hand-harvests for Domaine Avela alongside a fellow picker who says her family has lived in Quarante "forever."

Soon another harvest will be behind us and we’ll return to discovering the Languedoc wines you love. We promise to keep you posted on our winetasting adventures. In the meantime, check out our Fall Seasonal Picks. Reds, whites, and rosés to enjoy by the campfire or pair with changing Fall menus:

A Greek Heroine Remembered. Plus, The Best Zucchini Fritters In The World!

Demetria (left) passed her fabulous zucchini recipe on to her brother, Yannis (right) owner of Bouboulina Taverna. The etching on the wall next to Demetria is Laskarina Bouboulina, the great female sea captain from Spetses.

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We're blessed to continue our European road trip adventures, both culinary and cultural, while staying safe. This month we visited Greece and the Island of Spetses where we dined at Bouboulina Taverna, home to the Best Zucchini Fritters in The World (we conducted many tests!). We love Bouboulina Taverna not only for the heavenly fritters, but also for its namesake, Laskarina Bouboulina, the great female sea captain from Spetses who led Greece’s War of Independence of 1821.

Bouboulina used her fortune to feed and arm the rebels and also to build Agamemnon, one of the largest warships of the rebel army. Her efforts helped overthrow 300 years of occupation by the Ottoman Turks.

Carol whips up her own delicious zucchini fritter recipe, Robe Blanche in hand. 

In honor of Laskarina Bouboulina and our friends at Bouboulina Taverna, we’re sharing the Princess' own Zucchini Fritter Recipe. While these fritters may not be the very best in the world, we think they're a close second!

 

We’re also highlighting three incredible white wines, perfect pairings for the fritters or as a refreshing companion for any summer moment, on land or at sea!

A Road Trip to Basque Country Unearths a Cult Wine

Carol enjoying her freedom at the paws of "Puppy" by Jeff Koons 

When our two-month lockdown ended in the Languedoc, we felt the overwhelming urge to spread our wings and travel. Since most folks in the EU are wearing masks and practicing social distancing, we felt comfortable with a road trip to the nearby Basque region of Spain. First stop — the Guggenheim Bilbao! 

Bilbao won “Best European City” at the Urbanism Awards 2018. The Guggenheim, an architectural wonder designed by Frank Gehry, undoubtedly influenced the decision. There are fewer tourists these days and as we explored the museum, it almost felt as if we had the place to ourselves. On the plaza outside, we took in Jeff Koons's joyous Puppy, a 40 ft. tall sculpture of flowering plants in the shape of a West Highland Terrier. We then made our way to the arresting (and decidedly less adorable) Maman by artist Louise Bourgeois.

 

"Maman" by artist Louise Bourgeois

The interior of the museum was a marvel of space, light and movement. One of the more dynamic installations was Olafur Eliasson’s In Real Life, a beautiful confusion of cosmic spheres and spirals.  

 

Small is Beautiful — Root to Sip

Katie Jones of Domaine Jones (middle) & husband, Jean Marc Astruc (left)

In line with the theme of our June newsletter, localized communities of caring, we stand in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and all individuals who are peacefully protesting in the US and elsewhere. None of us are whole until all of us are cared for. 

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In the 1970s, economist E.F. Schumacher authored Small is Beautiful: A Study of Economics As If People Mattered. His book envisioned a "village-based" economy of “enoughness” shaped by human-friendly technologies and sustainable development.

We love Small is Beautiful! Part of our mission is to support the small family farmers who've existed in the Languedoc-Roussillon for over 2,000 years.

In the video below, we join Katie Jones of Domaine Jones in her recently purchased, one hectare, Grenache Gris vineyard. We thought Katie would be the perfect person to speak about "Small is Beautiful" in viticulture. 

You'll hear her describe the joys of her small-scale farming practices—and the challenges, including vines planted with narrow, "horse-width" rows from a time before the modern tractor existed. You'll also see a panoramic of the gorgeous countryside! 

 

 

Katie seeks out old vines, some 100 years old, with rare grape varieties, such as Macabeu and Carignan Gris. With exquisite care, she hand-harvests the small yields (apprx. 1 bottle per vine) to produce delicious, high-quality wines.

 

Katie relies on an antique tractor affectionately named "Mignon." The model was the first to replace horses and thus was designed for narrow rows. 

 

We love visiting Katie Jones — and all our winemakers! But it's not only for pleasure.

A recent New York Times article noted the difficulty for wine lovers of verifying a producer's claims about "natural" French wines.  We agree that wine designations are not enough. We personally visit every one of our winemakers, tasting wines, touring vineyards and winemaking facilities and, most importantly, building friendships and community. So you can trust that the wines your purchase from us are the best of the Languedoc-Roussillon, from root to sip!

Below are two wonderful wines from Domaine Jones. We think you'll find that small is delicious as well as beautiful!