Armorica

Armorica, the mythical land that the Romans called modern-day Brittany, was first planted to grape vines around 2000 years ago. With the conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar, the Romans moved swiftly to plant vineyards all over France, including in areas considered today to be too cold for wine production, such as Normandy and Brittany. These vineyards supported the Roman soldier (who was due a daily ration of wine) and the settlements they left behind to keep the peace. With climate change, vines are again creeping back north into the heart of ancient Armorica.

Armorica was, and still is, a surreal place. Waves crashing on massive pink granite boulders, dense forests full of Arthurian legend, and Celtic burial sites (looking like mini Stonehenges) dot the landscape. The southern historical edge of this wild and gorgeous region is the western end of the Loire river, and more specifically, the sloped vineyards of Muscadet. 2,000 years ago, Muscadet represented the southern boundary of Brittany, and fortified castles such as the Chateau de Clisson stood guard against invaders from the south.

We created Armorica as an homage to this wild, raw, and beautiful region. Based on the dry and crisp whites wines that are chilled on the beach during the Breton summers, Armorica is a seaside wine that combines the minerality and saline qualities of the Atlantic with the florality of Brittany’s wildflower meadows. It grows on the volcanic soil of southern historical Brittany in the middle of Muscadet, and as such, is a low alcohol, zero sugar white wine of delicious crispness and verve.