The Domaine des Enfants was founded in 2006 as a realization of a childhood dream by Swiss born Marcel Bühler and soon after joined in 2010 by Native Oregonian Carrie Sumner. Together they farm 25 hectares of vineyard around the town of Maury in France’s southernmost wine region of Roussillon. It is hot here, the soil is unyielding stone with little organic matter to offer crops. Water is rare, yet there has sprouted here a cadre of hardy viticulteurs dedicated to making wine in a very old way, without chemical fertilizers or purchased yeast, and with as little intervention as possible. Le Jouet is one playful result of this work. A blend of four parts Grenache, four parts “hairy Grenache” or Lladoner Pelut, and one part each Carignan and Syrah, the wine skips joyfully through the nose, with blackberry and dried black cherry, marly clay, and savory, dried green herbs. Full bodied but not exactly heavy, there’s layers of inky black fruit and tarry earth, rosemary and truffle salt. This wine is a delight, easy to drink with hearty fare or by itself, and anything but simple.