Great Blue Sea Wines

FRENCH CONNECTION

Languedoc, France

GBS Team wine brand ! Passionate about wine, travel, culture, and people, we are the French trio behind FRENCH CONNECTION. Florian and Matt have been friends for the best part of 20 years, and a shared love of wine brought us to Nathan, that Florian met through Viticulture and Oenology courses in 2022.

As an airline pilot, Florian is an avid traveller spending each week in different parts of the world. Nathan is the head sommelier in a chain of Parisian luxury establishments. Beyond our shared passion to discover great wines, the dream was always there to produce our own wines. In 2023, the opportunity presented itself to partner with Olivier Faucon, a remarkable winemaker from Terrasses du Larzac PDO, to produce wines from Languedoc terroirs that we love.

Our dream could finally see the light with the FRENCH CONNECTION brand. Our wines are designed for the American market. They are filled with a real sense of place and connect our native Languedoc with California, their land of adoption.

 

As a wine is above all made to be drunk, we are strong supporters of the drinkability a wine can offer. We produce wines from altitude terroirs (1000 ft), refreshed at night by cold katabatic winds from the neighboring mountains. This is reflected in the glass by freshness, purity, and terroir expression. Our wines are designed for pleasure and emotions.

Driven by the desire to make wine accessible to everyone, we developed a marketing concept with Niko Toncé (@toncer), a French graffiti artist with an international reputation, to create a line of really good, fun, and extremely drinkable wines!

For our first vintage, we produced two wines: a Languedoc style fresh and fruity rosé, born and raised in clay amphorae to reveal its full potential; and a very fine Terrasses du Larzac PDO wine from altitude vineyards, crafted for any occasion as it combines freshness and drinkability with a genuine terroir expression.

These two handcrafted wines with their unique labels and cool vibes will bring everyone together!

OFFSPRING 2023

Appellation: PGI SAINT GUILHEM LE DESERT

Grape Varieties: 50% Grenache, 50% Cinsault

Terroir: Altitude terroir (1000ft elevation) of clay-limestone subsoils with pebbles on the surface.

Yield:  25 hl / ha

Alcohol: 12.5%

Winemaking: 5 hours maceration to extract aromatics and some colour, fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tank.

Aging: 6 months in clay amphorae with light lees stirring to minimize reduction.

Notes: This wine is a postcard of the Mediterranean Sea, a nod to summer days, where the Mediterranean sun mixes with the sea breeze, where citrus fruits and wild red fruits blend with the herbal and spicy character of our mountains.

This intense and balanced rosé, can be enjoyed alone or paired with sea bream ceviche and citrus fruits, salmon gravlax with rosemary, fennel or fresh Saint-Jacques scallops with citrus butter.


OFFBEAT 2023

Appellation: PDO TERRASSES DU LARZAC

Grape Variety: 50% Syrah, 25% Grenache noir, 25% Cinsault

Terroir: Altitude terroir (1000ft elevation) of clay-limestone subsoils with pebbles on the surface.

Yield: 25 hl / ha

Alcohol: 14%

Winemaking: Fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. Light infusion for Grenache and Cinsault to preserve red fruits aromas and freshness. Stronger extraction on the Syrah to get more of the terroir expression (liquorice, wild herbs, menthol).

Aging: 6 months in stainless steel vats and 6 months in bottle.

Notes: Vinified in the best respect of the raw material, this wine results in a smooth, genuine expression of its terroir, reflecting the rugged terroirs of the Larzac. It draws a painting of sunsets, where the freshness of altitude and marine influence marry with the heat of the Languedoc. The wild berries and fresh black fruits match the herbal/minty freshness of this altitude terroir.

A profile of all times, allowing it to be served at a temperature range from of 52°F up to 60°F. It will be at its best on its fresh and fruity edge, from now to 5 years old. To drink alone or pair with charcuterie, entrecôte (ribeye), BBQ sauce burger or smoked ribs.