Hey there,
I asked Anne when she knew she'd make wine for a living.
Her answer: "Never even crossed my mind."
Anne Lekkerkerker moved from Amsterdam to Beaujolais in 2018 to run a bed & breakfast.
The house came with old vines. She bought the vineyards around it to keep her family and guests pesticide-free.
I met Anne at the salon La Parcelle last year.
I was amazed by her enthusiasm.
A passionate winemaker, and a mother of two like me.
And the most vibrant natural Régnié wines I've ever tried.
We chatted about her vineyard, and I knew straight away she'd be the right fit for our coop.
She embraced the idea right away too.
She has volunteers who come to help her, and they say the same thing: once you visit her vineyard, it's so good you don't want to leave.
That says a lot. (I have yet to visit myself!)
Here's what she told us.
The first parcel she farmed had been sprayed with pesticides before. In her words, the soil was "pretty much a moon landscape."
Now it's alive with plants, insects and animals. After one year without pesticides, life was coming back.
In 2024, rain, spring frost, disease and hail cut her harvest to about 25% of the year before. She loves the wines from it anyway.
And this year she's making her first orange wine: Chardonnay, in clay amphora.
Read Anne's story in her own words →
The best way to get to know her is to taste the case.
Beaujolais-Villages Blanc is a Chardonnay with chamomile tea and earthy fennel.
Pourquoi-Pas is a blouge: Gamay and Chardonnay fermented together into a fun, refreshing light red.
Rookie No2 is bright and lively. A short maceration makes it perfect as an apéro.
Les trois copains blends her three Régnié vineyards, with dark red fruit and real structure.
Cuvée Lachat comes from vines up to 90 years old. Drink it now or let it age.
And a sixth wine that rotates with what Anne has in the cellar.
All organic, and low in sulphites, with a small amount added before bottling.
Another small, independent winery we're proud to stand behind.
Cheers,
Greg x
This newsletter is written by Greg, founder of Vivan Cooperative — buying direct from independent winemakers across Europe, no importers, no distributors, no middlemen.
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