Nathalie Guillevic and Etienne Granier

Les Petites Mises is a young, innovative domaine located about 30 minutes west of Béziers in the Languedoc, owned by Nathalie Guillevic and Etienne Granier. The couple farms an exceptional vineyard and employs a unique vinification system to create expressive, additive-free wines that showcase the purity of the terroir.

Nathalie and Etienne left careers in health food in the Rhône Valley to pursue organic and natural winemaking. They honed their skills working with the cult Provencal domaine Cadavre Exquis, where fermentation takes place outdoors, the vineyard is never sprayed, and wines are aged in demijohns buried in the vineyard. These experiences shaped their philosophy of minimal intervention and terroir-driven wines.

In 2016, they purchased a vineyard near Quarante, west of Béziers in the Hérault, already certified with Natur et Progrès and farmed organically for nearly 30 years. The vineyard includes 90-year-old Carignan and Macabeo, 30-year-old Syrah, and younger plantings of Picpoul, Clairette, and Aramon. The clay soils provide structure and depth, while treatments rely on herbal teas, orange essential oil, and compost juice to maintain healthy, living soils.

Harvested fruit is co-fermented depending on the cuvée. Alcoholic fermentation occurs in old barrels, followed by elevage in 54-liter demijohns. This method preserves tannin structure and phenolic compounds, keeping the full expression of grape and terroir intact. Using small vessels allows them to isolate any issues, ensuring each wine is precise and flawless.

Bottling is done slowly by gravity, with each bottle labeled from its specific demijohn. The result is additive-free, hyper-correct wines that fully reflect the vineyard, vintage, and season, delivering a pure and intensely expressive taste of the Languedoc terroir.