Philippe Tesssier 'Phil en Bulle' NV Pétillant Naturel Blanc VDF Chitenay, Loire

750ml bottle

12.5% abv

Pale gold with fine, persistent bubbles. Fresh and bright nose of wildflowers, citrus, pear, and a light mineral edge. The palate is zippy and dry, with ripe fruit, almond skin,  and marmalade with a savory core. Fine mousse, brisk acidity, and a clean refreshing finish. Ever so slightly off-dry with a touch of residual sugar.

80% Romorantin, 20% Menu Pineau (Orbois). Young vines, Ecocert certified organic since 1998. Both varieties are hyperlocal to the Loire's Loir-et-Cher department and found virtually nowhere else. Romorantin was planted in this region by François I in 1519 and today is the sole permitted grape of the Cour-Cheverny AOC. 

Méthode ancestrale – a single fermentation that begins in tank and finishes in the bottle, capturing natural CO2 without secondary fermentation or dosage. Bottled after one year on lees, then disgorged. Native yeasts, natural sugar only, minimal sulfur, no fining or filtration. 

The Phil en Bulle is one of the very few pétillants naturel made from Romorantin, a grape so rare and so specific to this corner of the Loire that it barely registers in broader wine culture. The combination of the variety's natural acidity, the méthode ancestrale's textural richness, and a year on lees makes this a more serious and layered pét-nat than the category's reputation might suggest. Drink young and cold.

Domaine Tessier has farmed in Chitenay since 1961, situated between the forests of Cheverny, Chambord, and Sologne roughly 20km from the Loire River. The microclimate created by these three forest massifs keeps the vineyard cooler than its latitude might suggest, directly influencing the acidity and aromatic freshness of the wines. Philippe Tessier built the domaine's reputation over several decades; his son Simon and Simon's wife Marie took over in 2020 and have continued without interruption. The estate holds two appellations (Cour-Cheverny and Cheverny) across limestone and silica-clay soils,  the same geologic profile responsible for the mineral character consistent across the range.