Afterglow: La Cave Noire Blog

Not every year is meant to be loud.  This one asked for: Patience.  Attention. Care. We learned a lot this year. I learned a lot too. About what it really takes to build something that feels honest. About how much work happens long before anyone notices. About choosing restraint over shortcuts, even when it would be easier to rush. La Cave Noire has never been about speed. It has always been about feeling. The kind you cannot fake or force. The kind that stays with you after you leave. It is about the moments that stay with you. A glass you did not expect to love. A conversation that goes longer than planned. A room that makes you slow down without telling you to. We are making something special. I believe that deeply. And special takes time. Nothing has been revealed yet and that is intentional. Some things deserve to be protected while they are still forming. Some spaces are better discovered than explained. This year was quiet on the surface. Underneath it was full of movem...

Le Cave Noire - Quick pour: Bodegas Aroa  Le Naturel  Red (Spain) Bodegas Aroa’s Le Naturel is one of those bottles that quietly overdelivers. Unfussy, honest, and far more expressive than the price suggests, it’s a wine that feels right at home on the table or behind the bar. The nose opens with dark fruit straight away. Blackcurrant leads, followed by soft oak, worn leather, and a gentle tobacco note. There’s a subtle smokiness running through it that gives the wine a little depth and mood, without ever feeling heavy or overworked. On the palate, it stays light and easy. Low tannins keep things smooth and approachable, while juicy red fruit takes over. Raspberry comes through first, bright and fresh, with a light touch of vanilla extract rounding things out. Nothing cloying, nothing forced just clean, balanced drinking. The finish is where it really earns its place. Strawberry fades into a dry cranberry edge that keeps everything crisp and moreish. It’s the kind of win...

La Cave Noire - Quick Pour: DAVID-BEAUPERE Beaujolais -Villages 2023 (France) Some bottles just hit differently. This one? Absolutely. We opened it, took a sip, and knew we were coming back for more. No hesitation. No overthinking. Just pure, joyful Gamay. If you love Beaujolais the way we do, this ticks all the boxes. The 2023 Beaujolais Villages from David Beaupère sits in that perfect mid-price range where quality meets ease. Light, juicy, effortless. It has that fruit-forward punch you want from Gamay, but layered with a little funk, a hint of earthiness, and a soft leathery note that keeps it grounded. It’s playful, yet serious enough to make you pause and savour it.  On the nose, it’s a little show offy in the best way strawberry, raspberry, cherry, then a subtle balsamic thread weaving through, and a whisper of herbs that keeps it lively. It smells alive. It drinks even better. We love wines that feel like a moment. This one feels like walking into a warm, sunlit kitchen in ...