Husband and wife Agnes and Philippe Badea worked at Domaine Jean David for nearly twenty years, a reference producer of classic, traditionally made organic wines. In 2010 they put together their savings and purchased a small 4 Ha plot of old vine Grenache Noir in the small village of Tulette, in the heart of the Côtes du Rhône. 2.5 has were planted in 1945 and 1.5 hectares in 1982. The soils are rich in clay-limestone with some silex.
Throughout the process, they have been supported by their friends and family. In return, they share their love of their land, vines, and their generous, beautiful wines. When they set out on this venture, Agnès and Philippe’s loved ones said they were ‘zinzin’ (slang for cracked, bonkers, nuts). It is a title they proudly took up, naming their wine ‘Foulée des Zinzins’ – ‘The Stride of the Crackpots’.
As whimsical as their wine names and labels may be, the Badeas take their efforts in the vineyard and winery very seriously. Their vineyards are planted exclusively with Grenache vines between 30 and 70 years of age. They love and respect their land and farm their vines organically, following the lunar calendar and using herbal preparations like ortie piquante (stinging nettle). Cover crops are encouraged and the grass is only lightly mown rather than ploughed in order to allow the crops to continue to give cover to the natural life in the vineyard.
The grapes are hand harvested and the wine is elaborated in the small old stone house in the middle of the vineyard. Spontaneous whole cluster fermentation takes place with only the native yeast and the wines are not fined or filtered. The results are full bodied and rich wines that are an honest expression of the place where they are made and the dedicated people who made them.
Agnés and Philippe Badea make only 1,000 cases of wine total each year.
Throughout the process, they have been supported by their friends and family. In return, they share their love of their land, vines, and their generous, beautiful wines. When they set out on this venture, Agnès and Philippe’s loved ones said they were ‘zinzin’ (slang for cracked, bonkers, nuts). It is a title they proudly took up, naming their wine ‘Foulée des Zinzins’ – ‘The Stride of the Crackpots’.
As whimsical as their wine names and labels may be, the Badeas take their efforts in the vineyard and winery very seriously. Their vineyards are planted exclusively with Grenache vines between 30 and 70 years of age. They love and respect their land and farm their vines organically, following the lunar calendar and using herbal preparations like ortie piquante (stinging nettle). Cover crops are encouraged and the grass is only lightly mown rather than ploughed in order to allow the crops to continue to give cover to the natural life in the vineyard.
The grapes are hand harvested and the wine is elaborated in the small old stone house in the middle of the vineyard. Spontaneous whole cluster fermentation takes place with only the native yeast and the wines are not fined or filtered. The results are full bodied and rich wines that are an honest expression of the place where they are made and the dedicated people who made them.
Agnés and Philippe Badea make only 1,000 cases of wine total each year.
