If you’ve visited us in store or have perused our French wines online, you’ll surely have run into the name Jeff Carrel. Enough times perhaps, that you are starting to to wonder who the heck he is.
Jeff Carrel was born and raised in Paris. He studied chemistry before moving to oenology (wine making). He started his wine career in Alsace, then the Loire Valley before finally landing in the Languedoc, where most of his wines come from now. Based off of his education and wine making experience, he developed a consulting business where he makes wine and advises.
He is primarily based in the Languedoc but also consults in Burgundy, Bordeaux, and even Priorat in Spain. His focus has been on areas and vineyards that have been abandoned and looks to revive them to reach their full potential. He is not afraid to go against the grain, by working with indigenus grape varietals, single plots and practicing minimal intervention. By doing so, Jeff Carrel has managed to revive old family run wineries by giving them the needed support and in turn hiring more local workers in the areas and reviving the community. His wines are a reflection of history, people, place and the climates that make them.
One of the other major reasons why we love working with him, is that it helps us bring amazing wine back to you at great prices. By working in these forgotten areas with his expertise, he can help create beautiful wines at an approachable price point. For example, if you love French Pinot Noir but don’t want to spend $40 or more on a Burgundy bottle each week, try his Pinot Noir from Languedoc. If you want a fresh, light Chablis-esque Chardonnay, try his Villa des Anges Chardonnay. For a fun bubbly his Mousse Tache wines never disappoint! One of the best selling red wines in the shop is his Les Darons, grenache blend.