“Sobaie”, a winemaker's kombucha produced at the Villa Noria estate, in Montagnac, near Béziers

In the Béziers region, for the moment, the three Sobaie – white, rosé and red – are sold directly at the Villa Noria estate. Antonia Jimenez – ML

Dans le Biterrois, pour l’instant, les trois Sobaie – blanc, rosé et rouge – sont vendus directement au domaine Villa Noria. Antonia Jimenez – ML

Cédric Arnaud et Fabien Cross, les deux vignerons du domaine montagnacois Villa Noria, viennent de se lancer dans l’aventure d’un kombucha de raisin écologique.

In the Béziers region, grapes don't necessarily end up in a bottle of wine. At the Villa Noria – L’Hortevieille estate in Montagnac, they are available in Bacchus nectars, of course, but also, for a few months now, in kombucha.

This fermented drink, prepared using a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts immersed in a sugar solution, is normally produced on a tea base. But “here”, grapes being king and winegrowers enterprising, two of them, Cédric Arnaud and Fabien Cross, installed in a private cellar barely five years ago, decided to embark on the adventure of a kombucha.

A “trendy" drink

Especially Fabien, who was already working on new approaches to wine. At his side, a friend, Fleur Prenant, a big drinker of this very fashionable beverage. “The trend today is to drink less alcohol, local, natural and not too caloric. Fabien and Cédric, who cultivate their vines organically, had everything they needed. Their terroir produces grapes, rich in polyphenol, tannin, fructose… This fruit therefore has all the qualities to produce kombucha", explains Fleur Prenant, who now takes care of the commercial side.

The two winemakers then set to work. And they don't need much: filtered water, grapes and a "mother" or "strain"of kombucha or "scoby" (for "symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast"), i.e. a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. “We worked on the whole thing like a wine product with the aim of obtaining a kombucha different from all those that already exist. The resulting liquid rests in an oak barrel for a few days, to give it a slightly woody taste."

An ecological drink and container

Results: the team obtains a naturally sparkling drink because it is fermented, without flavorings, preservatives or other ingredients, without alcohol, organic, coming exclusively from organic grapes from the Villa Noria estate, different to produce three types of kombucha: a red, a white and a rosé.

As part of the two winegrowers' ecological commitment, Sobaie is sold in a 33cl returnable bottle (certified by the France consigne network) and therefore washable up to 20 times, to be deposited in the various partner stores. “The inks used for the labels are mineral or vegetable, non-polluting”, adds Cédric. Price: 3.50 euros per bottle.

End of harvest party on October 20

The Villa Noria estate is organizing its traditional end of harvest party on October 20, starting at 10:30 a.m. On the program: a full lunch prepared by a local caterer and musical entertainment. Olympics will be organized to extend this Olympic year. Adult rate: 30 euros (full meal and 3 glasses of wine) child: 12 euros (full meal and fruit juice). Reservation before October 18 (https://shop.domaine-noria.com/fr/19-evenements). More information at 06 84 80 33 98 or on domaine-noria.com.

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