With the festive season approaching, and to get ourselves in the spirit, Cru RASTEAU went to meet Alfred LAURENT, co-founder of TWIL (which no longer needs any introduction, these are the initials of the wine app ‘The Wine I Love’)… who spoke to us about wine, of course, but also festive dining and the spirit of Christmas…

… We can’t wait!

• A.O.C RASTEAU : Can you tell us a bit about yourself ?

Alfred LAURENT : « I’ve loved drawing and comics since I was very young, so I finished my graphic design studies in 2010 and then joined a communications company called Publicis. I discovered wine much earlier with my childhood friend, Erwann de Barry, at his family’s wine estate in Provence, where we used to drive motorbikes around the vineyard. In 2013 we created a Côtes-de-Provence rosé in partnership with Château de Saint-Martin (Cru Classé de Provence). Then, in 2014, we came up with the idea of a completely different project: TWIL (the initials of ‘The Wine I Love’). An application which would be the ‘Shazam’ of wine, allowing people to simply take a photo of the wine label to access its technical details (example with Domaine de Rasteau: HERE), provided by the producer (description, food & wine pairings, serving temperature, etc.). We went even further by offering users the chance to order their favourite wine directly from the producer with free delivery to their closest pick-up point! The small start-up has really grown since and we have lots of new ideas to offer wine-lovers a really special experience, like a cellar management tool integrated in the app ».

• A.O.C RASTEAU : What does the spirit of Christmas mean to you ?

Alfred L. : « For me the spirit of Christmas is good times with family but also, more generally, a great period of social harmony. If we look beyond the crazily commercial side of Christmas, it is above all the opportunity to meet up with the people we love, friends and colleagues, to share a glass of Champagne or a good wine and enjoy some foie gras ».

• A.O.C RASTEAU : What are the essential elements that you like to see on your festive dining table ?

Alfred L. : « It’s not very original but I am a big fan of capon especially when it is accompanied by a delectable Côtes du Rhône red Cru. But, for dessert, I prefer a giant chocolate macaroon to the traditional Christmas log, and my aunt makes it perfectly every year based on a recipe by Pierre Hermé, it’s superb… And there’s nothing to beat a Rasteau VDN as an accompaniment to this chocolate dessert ! »

• A.O.C RASTEAU : Can you think of a festive dish that surprised you and that you still remember vividly to this day ?

Alfred L. : « The incredible combination of Salmon Gravlax (fresh salmon, marinated in salt, sugar, and dill) and a Bouzeron (Bourgogne white) from the Domaine de Villaine. Unforgettable »

• A.O.C RASTEAU : Have you already had the opportunity to taste Rasteau wines? If so, can you tell us about one or two memories you have of them ?

Alfred L. : « One of the best, if not the best, that I’ve had the chance to taste is that of Marcel Richaud. His organic Rasteau is very generous and it envelops you with its aromas of dark fruits and spices.. »

• A.O.C RASTEAU : How would you characterize Rasteau wines ?

Alfred L. : « We often think of Rasteau VDN (sweet natural wines) but the dry wines are also excellent. They are undeniably powerful, rich and very aromatic, they often linger in the mouth and they have great laying down potential. It’s an appellation that deserves to be more widely known ! »

• A.O.C RASTEAU : For those who don’t yet know TWIL and would like to order wine for the festive period, what should they do? Do you have any advice to give ?

Alfred L. : « To start with, I would advise them to take a look at our festive tasting guide: https://www.twil.fr/media/guide-degustation-fetes-twil.pdf, it gives lots of food & wine pairing ideas. They can also find all their favourite appellations direct from the producer on the website twil.fr and download the Twil app. And a last tip, order soon to be sure to get your wine in time !»

• A.O.C RASTEAU : Do you still believe in Father Christmas? (Laughs) And if not, what can we wish you for 2019 ?

Alfred L. : « To go from 150,000 users of the app to 500,000 to share more notes and comments between fans of wine and discover even more favourite wines from our superb regions.».

 

Thank you Alfred for talking to us! We wish you a great Christmas and New Year !

As the festive season approaches, think TWIL!! This app allows visitors to order simply and easily and to receive their favourite Rasteau bottles straight to their door!

On the TWIL Blog you can also find a special article on Rasteau wines for the Festive Season: “A Rasteau for Christmas” https://www.twil.fr/actualites/un-rasteau-pour-noel-574 with lots of tips on successful food & wine pairings for fabulous festivities! And take advantage of Rasteau Festive wines at great prices !