Presiding over the vines of Combrillac, perched on a hill overlooking the Dordogne valley, at the gates of the city of Bergerac in the heart of the Périgord Pourpre just east of Bordeaux, is a couple whose names you need to know: Thien Uyen Do and Florent Girou. A winemaking duo unlike any we've met before, Uyen and Florent each brings a distinct set of talents to bear. 

Florent, for one, has nearly two decades of winemaking experience under his belt, spanning from the Dordogne to Languedoc to Tuscany, despite officially taking over the family domaine just four years ago.

Uyen, his partner in farming and in life, is so invested in the biodiversity of their terrain that only half of their twenty five hectares has been planted to vines. Together, their vines have been co-planted with four thousand trees and medicinal herbs, vite maritata — an ancient grape-growing technique in which vines are trained on trees instead of wooden stakes.

Uyen and Florent, tandem vigneron.ne, work tirelessly to preserve the ecosystem of which their grapes are only a part: the crown of trees surrounding the whole property, the groves of oak and acacia, the natural meadows which weave between each parcel, the hops and cereals they cultivate, as well as the aromatic and medicinal plants under their care: holy basil, chamomile, comfrey, tansy and Persian clover.

Preserving biodiversity, as well as mitigating the monoculture of grapevines, has been paramount to their joint project. The result in your glass is something between Bordeaux and the Loire, perhaps the best parts of each: elegance on the approach, freshness on the finish. 

COMBRILLAC

Country: France

Region: Dordogne

Sub-region or Appellation: Bergerac

Winemakers: Florent Girou & Thien Uyen Do

Viticulture: Permaculture

Terroir: Clay

Size: 25 hectares, with 12 hectare under vine

Website: www.combrillac.fr
Instagram: @combrillac

COMBRILLAC :: Tropisme

Destemmed Merlot (60%) and whole-cluster Cabernet-Franc (40%). 5-day maceration with no extractions. Aged in stainless steel, with only 1ppm SO2 added at bottling.

Vintage: 2022
Grapes: Merlot (60%), Cabernet-Franc (40%)
Style: Red Wine
ABV: 13.5%
Region: Dordogne
Sub-Region or Appellation: Bergerac
Viticulture: Organic & Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: 5-day maceration
Aging: 6 months in stainless steel vats
Fining or Filtering: none
Sulfur: Minimal at bottling

COMBRILLAC :: Petchalba

Petchalba’s new look for 2021 is a dazzling 7-day maceration of exclusively Sauvignon Blanc. Textural, but fresh and clean. Like drinking springtime.

Vintage: 2021
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc
Style: White Wine
ABV: 13.5%
Region: Dordogne
Sub-Region or Appellation: Bergerac
Viticulture: Organic & Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Maceration for 7 days
Aging: In Italian sandstone amphoras
Fining or Filtering: none
Sulfur: 10mg/L at bottling

COMBRILLAC :: Orenda

A prismatic blend of Sémillon (80%) from 90-year old vines and Chenin Blanc (20%), partially direct-pressed and partially macerated whole cluster for 1 month in already fermenting juice. Aged for 12 months in Italian standstone amphorae. Like drinking sun-spun silk.

Vintage: 2021
Grapes: Semillon (80%), Chenin Blanc (20%)
Style: White Wine
ABV: 13%
Region: Dordogne
Sub-Region or Appellation: Bergerac
Viticulture: Organic & Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Partial direct-pressed, partial whole-cluster maceration for one month in already fermenting juice.
Aging: 12 months in Italian sandstone amphora
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal added

COMBRILLAC :: Systemik

A blend of direct-pressed Sémillon (90%) and 6-day maceration of Sauvignon Blanc (10%)
fermented in 5- to 10-yr old barrels and aged for 9 mo in Italian standstone amphorae. Another quintessential example of the gentleness of Florent & Uyen coupled with the intensity and luxuriousness of Sémillon.

“Are you in the system or are you blowing the system?”

Vintage: 2021
Grapes: Semillon (90%), Sauvignon Blanc (10%)
Style: White Wine
ABV: 13%
Region: Dordogne
Sub-Region or Appellation: Bergerac
Viticulture: Organic & Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: 8-day fermentation in oak barrels, Sauvignon Blanc macerates for 6 days
Aging: 12 months in Italian sandstone amphora
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal added

COMBRILLAC :: Synapse

A collaboration with their friend Mattieu, who under the mentorship of Combrillac, has learned to produce wines of not only incredible precision but also buoyant freshness and carefree vitality. A blend of 60% Chenin Blanc, 30% Sémillon, and 10% Cabernet-Sauvignon, aged in Italian standstone amphorae for 12 months.

Vintage: 2021
Grapes: Chenin Blanc (60%), Sémillon (30%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%)
Style: White Wine
ABV: 13%
Region: Dordogne
Sub-Region or Appellation: Bergerac
Viticulture: Organic & Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: 8-day co-fermentation in oak barrels
Aging: 12 months in Italian sandstone amphora
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal added

COMBRILLAC :: Amour Sauvage

This red blend of Cabernet-Franc (80%), Merlot (15%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%) undergoes 10 days of whole-cluster maceration and 6 mo of aging in large stainless steel vats. Made as a collaboration with their friend Mathieu, a schoolteacher looking to explore the vines and make his own cuvée. Effortless and elegant.

Vintage: 2022
Grapes: Cabernet-Franc (80%), Merlot (15%) Cabernet Sauvignon (5%)
Style: Red Wine
ABV: 13%
Region: Dordogne
Sub-Region or Appellation: Bergerac
Viticulture: Organic & Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: 10 day whole-cluster maceration
Aging: 6 months in stainless steel vats
Fining or Filtering: none
Sulfur: 10 mg/L

COMBRILLAC :: Petchalba

From a hill overlooking the Dordogne Valley, this blend of macerated Sauvignon Blanc (50%) & Sémillon (40%) and direct-pressed Cabernet Sauvignon (10%), is aged in a mix of Italian sandstone amphoras and used barrels. Its name references a Macedonian rite of passage: the courageous decision to leave home to find one's fortune. You would do well to crack a bottle and discover some newfound fortune of your own— the luscious terroir of an oft-overlooked corner of France.

Vintage: 2020
Grapes: Sauvignon Blanc (50%), Semillon (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (10%)
Style: White Wine
ABV: 13%
Region: Dordogne
Sub-Region or Appellation: Bergerac
Viticulture: Organic & Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: Sauvignon Blanc undergoes a 4-day maceration; some Semillon is direct-pressed, while other batches undergo 1 month of maceration; Cabernet Sauvignon is direct-pressed in 8-year-old barrels
Aging: 9 months in Italian sandstone amphoras
Fining or Filtering: none
Sulfur: 10mg/L at bottling

COMBRILLAC :: Troc

Cabernet-Franc (40%), Cabernet-Sauvignon (40%) and Merlot (20%) come together in this beautiful, approachable red blend from just outside the gates of the village of Bergerac. Vinified with only 1ppm of sulphur at bottling yet still a paragon of integrity, this wine is "born to be free," an allusion to the winemakers' eponymous side project, a local workshop to promote permaculture education and holistic farming practices.

Vintage: 2021
Grapes: Cabernet-Franc (40%), Cabernet-Sauvignon (40%), Merlot (20%)
Style: Red Wine
ABV: 13%
Region: Dordogne
Sub-Region or Appellation: Bergerac
Viticulture: Organic & Biodynamic
Age of Vines:
Soils: Clay
Yeasts: Indigenous
Vinification: 10-12 day maceration, partially whole-cluster (80% for Cabernet Franc & Merlot, 20% for Cabernet Sauvignon)
Aging: 6 months in vat
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: 10 mg/L at bottling