Portraits of winemakers

THOMAS LECHEVALLIER & LAURENT FABRY, LA PIE ROSE: HANDCRAFTED WINES WITH A TASTE OF STRAWBERRY, BLACKBERRY AND RASPBERRY...

An "Original and Catchy" Name

Thomas Lechevallier is a former restaurateur from the South-West region of France. A few years ago, he met Laurent Fabry, a fine food retailer. "Laurent worked near my restaurant. He offered his clients a flavored wine recipe that I found interesting because it was different from the traditional chemical flavors found in most flavored wines," Thomas recounts.

In the spring of 2015, as Thomas sought to broaden his professional horizons, he suggested to Laurent that they partner to fully dedicate themselves to developing a range of wines. This proposal marked the beginning of the La Pie Rose adventure. "The name comes from one of my friends who runs a cocktail bar in Périgueux. He regularly ordered bottles from Laurent without labels. So, he called this 'cocktail' La Pie Rose. Naturally, when it came time to choose a name, this one came to mind. We found it original and catchy because it stands out from other producers in the South-West who tend to favor names with local connotations," explains Thomas.

100% Natural Wines

La Pie Rose officially launched in May 2015 with the introduction of the "Fraises de Dordogne" cuvée. A year later, Thomas and Laurent released two other ranges: "Mûres Intenses" and "Framboises Délicates." What makes the recipe unique? Soft wines produced under the AOC Côtes-de-Bergerac, blended with fruit pulp. "We purchase the fruit in its raw state and then take it to the lab to turn it into filtered pulp, which we then mix into the wine ordered in advance from the winemakers, allowing the blend to rest in the tank for a certain period," explain Thomas and Laurent, who signed their first "partnership" with Château Poulvère, located in Monbazillac. "The producers at the estate already made flavored wine and had the necessary equipment, which was a stroke of luck for us," the partners explain. They also collaborated with the AGROPOLE laboratory in Agen, in partnership with AgroTech, to finalize the La Pie Rose recipe.

"We Don't Do Pool Rosé!"

Created with a spirit of sharing and conviviality, La Pie Rose wines are best enjoyed young. "Our wines are ideal for summer, but we don't do 'pool rosé'! It's primarily a quality artisanal product that can be enjoyed year-round," emphasizes Thomas.

La Pie Rose wines feature three different flavors: tannic with blackberry, tangy with raspberry, and sweet with strawberry. While Thomas and Laurent chose not to reveal more details about their recipe (due to industrial secrecy), they did share the key to La Pie Rose's success: "Some people might be hesitant to try a flavored wine, often because they fear it will be too sweet. The advantage of our wines is that the fruit pulp provides a nice balance between sweetness and acidity. Unless you absolutely don't like sweet wines, our range is designed to appeal to all palates."