Jamie Goode

“Pacalet is a well-known figure in the natural wine scene, but, like many in this unofficial club, he’s not easy to compartmentalize. He believes in natural fermentation without the addition of SO2 or yeasts, but he doesn’t care for biodynamics or organics. “It’s very easy to pay and become organic, not really taking any risks,” he says. “But to make natural wine, you do have to take risks.” Pacalet thinks that the current vine material is weak because of continued asexual reproduction. “The vines are in a degenerate state,” he maintains. “Maybe we can use OGM [genetic modification] in the right way, in the hands of good people, to help here.” Pacalet uses whole bunches in his Pinot Noir fermentations, and he maintains that the stems help capture some of the heat from fermentation. He hasn’t had to regulate temperature for ten years and says that different terroirs ferment at different temperatures. This view accords with the terroir concept at the heart of natural wine. Pacalet is slightly unusual among natural wine producers in that he is working in a prestigious region; many work in less fashionable regions, such as the various appellations in the Loire or in Beaujolais.”
― Jamie Goode, Authentic Wine: Toward Natural and Sustainable Winemaking