The Thibon family has lived in the village of Saint Marcel d’Ardèche since 1670, and they’ve kept a farm there for almost as long, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that Jean-Pierre Thibon elected to make wine the focus of the domaine. From the very beginning, no doubt influenced by his philosopher father Gustav Thibon, Jean-Pierre and his wife Jacqueline elected to farm their vineyards organically from the very start. The vineyards today are a prime example of biodiverse agriculture. No chemical treatments are used, cover crops are encouraged, and the plow team consists of two horses, Nestor and Bambi. Their Vin de Petanque is intended to accompany a casual backyard lawn game or other such easygoing settings. The blend includes Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, and Vaccarèse drawn from their young vines in clay-limestone soils. Aromas of leather-dried black cherry, rolled tobacco and smoky black earth lead to a surprisingly quaffable palate of inky black fruit, orange oil, and rich earth. The weight is somewhere between medium and full with delicate tannins and a lively, zesty finish. Serve with wings, dogs, brats, and other single syllable outdoor fare.