This summer sees one of our more delicious collaborations: two new wines curated by sommelier, Simo Zbiri. The limited-run vin is made from Domaine de la Tucayne, a small independent winery focused on au naturel production. In the Saint-Sardos region of Southern France, Simo worked directly with the chief winemaker Sebastien Almendros to create the special selection.

The first of the new additions, Les bulles d’été, is a sparkling Syrah-Merlot with an explosion of exotic flower bouquet on the nose, notes of red fruits and a long citrus, peachy aftertaste. It has a delicate bubble, making the wine smooth and tender in the mouth. The second, Le blanc d’été, is a fresh Viognier-Chardonnay-Sémillon blend, perfect for sunny afternoons.

The wines, particularly the sparkling rose, were a passion project that began when Simo visited the winery to taste their latest wine and barrique projects. As Sebastien tells it, the friends were tasting the rosé straight from the tank when Simo started to think about creating a sparkling wine.

The project was a journey of craftsmanship and experimentation, made possible by their trust in each other and a shared passion to create. All in all, a fun experience that forced the pair to let go and push boundaries.

To celebrate, we invited guests to a garden soirée on the terrace of The House of Atelier Munro in Amsterdam. Simo himself was there to pour glasses of the good stuff and talk us through the tasting.