Martin Texier 'La Preyna' 2019 - $25.99
STORY
Cinsault finally gets it’s moment in the spotlight! Often only appearing as a small component in Rhône blends and Provençal Rosés, here it is on full display with all its ripe red fruit and zippy character that is echoed by the addition of 25% Grenache. It is a great example of the light-bodied everyday wines of the region. St-Julien-en-St.-Alban is located on the western side of the Rhône just at the end of the Rhône Valley, and is prized for its altitude and warmth. You don’t need an occasion to pull the cork, it doesn't demand food, and there’s no need for you to meditate over each sip. Its pure energy makes it the perfect weeknight warrior; you can just feel the sunshine.
HOW TO
You might be familiar with Martin’s father Eric who has become one of the legends of natural wine in the Rhône. His father’s passion to revive traditional techniques and implement low-intervention winemaking also drives Martin. Each grape is vinified separately in concrete tanks, which preserves the integrity of the fruit. Concrete is used in an effort to avoid the oaky flavors that are transmitted by barrels, but unlike stainless steel, it also allows for a gentle transfer of oxygen, creating verve, texture, and fruit-forward jubilance. On the nose, the ripe strawberry scent is kept in check with a tart redcurrant snap, and a slightly effervescent minerality.
TUNES FOR YOUR JUICE
by Liza Morgioni
Martin, like ODESZA, chose to pursue a career in music after his time at university. Unlike ODESZA, he eventually left the DJ scene to study wine, and then returned home to start making his own.
Home is a song from one of ODESZA’s earlier EPs, released before their 2014 album In Return which propelled their popularity. It samples from the song Sloop John B, from the Beach Boys’ hit album Pet Sounds, using the line “let me go home.” Though not originally written by the Beach Boys, Sloop John B was certainly made their own through some rhythmic tinkering, chord tweaks, and slight lyrical adjustments. Sonically the song has that upbeat island swing that the group is famous for, but also features melancholy lyrics. This juxtaposition, as well as many other factors, set that album apart from their prior discography. I’d love to geek out more about Brian Wilson, but I’ll save that for another time. Now back to ODESZA.
Hearing Home, it makes me wonder what kind of mindset the group was in when they made this song. Perhaps they were feeling homesick or tired of touring. It’s a great song to listen to when drinking wine made by Martin Texier, who was compelled to return to France and follow in his father’s footsteps. Like this track, “Le Preyna” is light and dreamy yet punchy. Martin’s natural wine-making methods aren’t so far off from how this song was made: taking something that has been rethought and reshaped, and continuing to make it one’s own. That must be the DJ in him!