Granache Blend - Avanti Popolo by Le temps des cerises
Some wines just feel alive, and this one is definitely one of those. Avanti popolo, a bottle that gives you an instant buzz… color, scent, texture, energy. Made in south of France, this red blend captures everything I love about the grape Grenache and the spirit of its maker, Axel Prüfer.
Part I: Grenache… The Grape, the Myth & the Reality
Grenache (or Garnacha in Spain) likely originated in northern Spain (Aragon region), later migrating across the Pyrenees into southern France. In France, it became deeply rooted in the southern Rhône, Languedoc-Roussillon, and Provence, where it thrives under the Mediterranean sun. This grape adapts real well to droughts, but at the same time its thin skins are prone to Oxidation.
Grenache wines often show red fruit (cherry, strawberry, raspberry) and spice (white pepper, cinnamon). In well-crafted expressions (especially from old vines, low yields), one can find more complex notes: dried herbs, leather, tar, licorice, garrigue scrub, and an earthy nuance.
The Winemaker behind Avanti Popolo: Axel Prüfer
If there’s a face behind the easy charm of Avanti Popolo, it’s Axel Prüfer, a quiet rebel making wine his own way in the hills of southern France.
Axel was born in East Germany, far from the Mediterranean light and olive trees of the Languedoc. But when he landed there, something clicked. He found a region full of old vines, wild herbs, and raw beauty… a place that didn’t need polishing, just care and patience.
He started Le Temps des Cerises (which means The Time of Cherries) and decided early on to keep things simple and natural. No chemicals in the vineyards. No fancy oak barrels. Just healthy vines, clean fruit, and a cellar where things could take their time.
Apparently, from what I could find online he is a soft-spoken, thoughtful, and deeply connected to his land man. To keep wild boars from eating his grapes, he once scattered human hair around the vines.
His goal is to make wines that feel alive. Wines that carry the rhythm of nature and the hum of the soil. Every bottle he makes, including Avanti Popolo, tastes like a snapshot of that energy: fresh, vibrant, a little wild, but always balanced.
About Avanti Popolo
Avanti Popolo is a blend built around Grenache, with a little help from Syrah, Merlot, and Alicante. Each grape brings something to the party: Grenache gives juicy red fruit and warmth, Syrah adds a hint of spice, and the others lend softness and depth.
When you pour a glass, the first thing you’ll notice is how bright and inviting it looks… that perfect ruby color that already hints at freshness. On the nose, there’s cherry, raspberry, and maybe a whisper of wild herbs or crushed rock.
Take a sip, and it feels like a stroll through the countryside after rain; light, pure, slightly earthy, full of life. It’s not heavy or oaky, just beautifully textured and quietly expressive. The kind of wine that makes you smile without trying too hard.
Food-wise, Avanti Popolo is the easiest dinner guest: it loves grilled lamb, roasted chicken, pasta with tomato sauce, or even a simple plate of cheese and olives. You don’t need to plan a meal around it; it simply fits in.
What makes this wine exceptional is its sincerity. There’s no gloss or pretension. It tastes exactly like what it is: a pure, handmade wine from a man who trusts his land and listens to his grapes. It’s proof that “natural” doesn’t have to mean funky or strange. It can just mean real.
10/10
Earthy, red fruit, fun… perfect for a steak or any meats
Wish I could get my hands on this one more often.
