Allante & Boulanger, Amalgame, 2020

Christian Boulanger worked full-time at Domaine Labet for over 15 years, he's part of the family – a third sibling for Charline, Romain and Julien Labet. Along with his friend Mathieu Allante (who also did a stint with the Labets) have been gathering small parcels over the years: patiently waiting for opportunities, they've been leasing and buying plots alongside recovering historical vineyards. They are two men for two cellars: one is in Rotalier where Christian lives and the other at Mathieu’s, near Gizia 15km south – a set up somehow practical since their vines grow around and between these two villages. Allante & Boulanger's holdings comprise two plots in Rotalier, La Chèvre – 90yo vines perched atop a ridge, and the lieu-dit Patarate – 70yo vines with different strains of trousseau including the cherished 'à la dame' cultivar; there's also one plot in the village of Maynal (on the way from Rotalier to Gizia) taken over from JF 'Fanfan' Ganevat; and finally two plots in Gizia, at 400-450m altitude, where the duo has accomplished an impressive feat: clearing abandoned vineyards from the invading forest, and planting all Jura varieties as well as pineau d'aunis and mondeuse. The wilderness around Gizia is stunning with majestic cliffs surrounding the vineyards, no wonder they fell in love with this unique terroir. Vinification occurs in the basement of an ancient parish – Mathieu lives above – and the approach is minimalistic: whole bunches for the whites while the reds are hand-destemmed, the pressing is