Last year, I wrote about the history of the garagistes movement (pronounced garage-east) in France and in California. A garagistes is a small batch winery who most likely does not have a tasting room, they make under 1000 cases of wine a year, and their wines are crafted from purchased grapes grown at selected vineyards any where in the world or grapes grown on their property.  The wines are made to serve young, are a very high quality, and the winemaker is readily available at tastings.

Small batch winemaking has it’s challenges especially when your grapes are selected by quality and not necessarily grown in the state where the wine is produced.  From Federal labeling regulations all the way down to PA farmers markets where we are just now allowed to sell, the challenges are difficult to navigate and there is little to no support from the wine industry.

The Wine Spectator glossary states a garagiste (garagistes) is, “A micro-négociant specializing in very limited-production wines, often known as "vins de garage," or garage wines, because their production size is such that they could be made in a garage. The movement began on Bordeaux's Right Bank in St.-Emilion with Châteaus Le Pin and Valandraud, but the term is now often applied to micro-négociants the world over.”

“Micro-négociant”, I chased that term down a little further.  “A Négociant means trader in French. A wine négociant is a wine trader, then. Also known as a wine merchant. They buy grapes, grape juice, or fermented wine from growers and vineyards”.

I found this to be a little insulting and misleading.  Nowhere in these descriptions does it discuss the quality of wines, nor the method of winemaking involved, or quite honestly that a garagistes is, first and foremost, a winemaker.    

Being a firm believer in this movement and somewhat a rebel myself, my 2024 plan is to research more and talk a little more about garagistes with hope that the Pennsylvania embraces the beauty of this style of winemaking and what it can bring to our area regardless of where the fruit is grown. 

I know several amateur winemakers nearby who make excellent wines. Just imagine if we all gathered a few times a year to offer our wines to the community, building a Tin City of our own in Chester County.

On a personal note, I still find this the best definition. Taken from https//www.garagistefestival.com , Garagistes:  “A term originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade small-lot winemakers, sometimes working in their garages, who refused to follow the ‘rules’.  Now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the best wine in the world.  Syn:  Rule-breakers, pioneers, renegades, mavericks, driven by passion.”

Your Wine Maverick,

Sharon