Martin Texier "Le Preyna" 2022 Rouge Saint-Julien-en-Saint-Alban

750ml bottle

13% abv

The Texier family has been a tireless promoter of the little-known Brezeme appellation located in between the northern and southern Rhone valleys. This blend of Cinsault and Grenache is light on its feet, showcasing bright red fruit and a little barnyard funk. Pleasant, lightly grippy tannins add the perfect amount of structure to this juicy wine.

Le Preyna is the name of an old parcel planted with 75% Cinsault and 25% Grenache in deep granitic soils. The grapes are pressed and fermented separately in concrete tanks and blended before bottling. This is a lighter wine, typical of the region. Medium -bodied and earth-driven with layers of bramble, dried herbs, pepper, and red fruit. Balanced acid and dry tannins. Organic.

Martin Texier (son of Eric, the famous northern Rhône natural wine producer) began making wine in 2014 after a previous life studying economics. After leaving university, he ventured into music (he is an accomplished DJ) and also spent time in New York City learning about the wine trade there. It was after this that he realized that his calling was to follow in his father’s footsteps and return to the vines. 

He now has five hectares in and around St.-Julien-en-St.-Alban, planted to classic Rhône varieties, both red and white. There are many different soil types here: clay, limestone, gneiss, schist, and granite, making for a wide range of different styles of wine to be made. Martin's passion is to revive the local traditions of working the natural way, both in the vines and in the cellar (native yeast fermentations, no sulfur). The results he has been getting this early in his career are a clear testament to his skills.