Épona 2020 is a natural wine crafted by Patrick Desplats, in the Loire region in France. This wine is made with a field blend of mixed grapes, featuring over 20 varieties on a small 0.5 hectare plot. Some of the vines are 100 years old, self-rooted vines that have never seen chemicals.
Epona consists mainly of Pineau d’aunis and Chenin Blanc but there is also Gamay, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Cabernet franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pinot Gris & more.
Patrick Desplats is quite an icon of the natural wine scene, having started Domaine Des Griottes in 2001 with Sébastien Dervieux of Domaine des Babass. The two went their seperate ways in 2011, with quite different styles and an alleged disagreement over whether to plough the soil or not.
Patrick makes wines in Qvevri Amphora buried in the ground, and like Sébastien Dervieux is strictly zero-zero in the approach to sulphites.
Patrick Desplats is quite a character, avoiding fuel, meditating for hours on end in the sun, living in a unelectrified 2m sqauered shack next to the vines and Qvevri garden to be as close to wild nature as possible, joined by cats and armed with a unique vision to his winemaking process not commonly found in France, but more Georgia. For example, he is known to train some of his vines up trees. He no longer works with a winery, but outside, amongst the vines using Qvevri amphora to work without the need for
These VERY RARE, super low quantity wines are low alcohol, wild, vibrant and often with elements of Volatile Acidity, so be aware of this before you buy.
