Domaine des 2 Anes "Premiers Pas" Corbieres 2023

Press 4 Mix/Red • February/March 2026 Direct Press Selection

Domaine des 2 Ânes or "Two Donkeys" was among the first natural wines I was introduced to. It's still affordable and very crowd friendly, rustic and soulful. At the time there was not really much 'glou-glou' and putting red wine in the fridge was still liable to get you laughed at. But this wine still holds up as a bigger red that has finesse and freshness, elements that have always made it stand out from the oceans of alcoholic-tasting, conventional wines from the south of France. 

Though the roughly 50 acres of vines are in the hot, dry region between Montpellier and the Spanish border, they are right on the Mediterranean coast. The strong winds and the sea help balance out the lack of rain. In fact the winds are strong enough to make the plot a great choice for organic viticulture, as winds keep the grape bunches dry and less vulnerable to fungal disease. Magali Terrier, the owner, picked this spot after relocating from her native Beaujolais for this exact reason. Now she has not two but three donkeys to help her — Lolita and her children Pinocchio and Riquito — and they are certified organic and biodynamic, with the donkeys helping to fertilize and prune the vines.

"Premiers Pas" is mostly Carignan with Grenache from gobelet trained vines, fermented and aged in steel tank. Magali says it's her lightest red, and it only clocks in at 12.5% abv. Yet it still packs a punch, with juicy blackberries, blueberries, baking spices, and red pepper flakes surrounded by earthy tannins. There's a touch of funk but it's maybe a 2 on a scale from 1 to 10. Overall it is a great reminder of what I guess is old school natural wine, with the emphasis being on farming and on creating a vivid snapshot of one particular spot on the planet, this being a special vineyard on the precipice of the sea. And of course it's also the home of three helpful donkeys. Jonathan Kemp