Natural wine has a perception problem. To skeptics, it means funky, unstable wines made by people who don't believe in winemaking technique. To true believers, it means wines that taste like the place they're from, made without industrial intervention.
The Marigny lands squarely on the side of intention. Founded by Andy Young in Oregon's Willamette Valley, The Marigny — pronounced "The Mare-uh-knee" — makes natural wines that are precise, thoughtful, and genuinely delicious. Their tagline says it all: Modern Table Wines grown with intention.
Organic From the Start
The Marigny sources from organically and sustainably managed vineyards in the Willamette Valley. This isn't a marketing claim bolted onto conventional farming — it's foundational to how the wines are made. The vineyard management directly shapes the character of the wines, and Andy Young's approach is that healthy soil and careful farming do more for wine quality than anything that happens in the cellar.
This philosophy resonates with a growing segment of wine consumers who care about how their wine is produced, not just how it tastes. They want to know that the producer is thinking about land stewardship, biodiversity, and long-term sustainability — not just this year's harvest.
Carbonic Maceration and the Art of Approachability
The Marigny is known for its use of carbonic maceration — a winemaking technique where whole grape clusters ferment in a sealed, carbon dioxide-rich environment before being pressed. The result is wines with vibrant fruit character, softer tannins, and an immediate drinkability that makes them perfect table wines.
Carbonic maceration has been used in Beaujolais for generations, but it's seeing a renaissance among natural winemakers who appreciate how it preserves the pure fruit character of the grape. The Marigny's carbonic wines are juicy, expressive, and the kind of bottles you open on a Tuesday night without thinking twice.
This approach to winemaking aligns perfectly with how younger wine consumers drink. They don't want wines that need five years in a cellar to be approachable. They want wines that are great right now, that pair with whatever they're eating, and that don't require a lecture to enjoy.
Piquette: Low-ABV, High Potential
One of The Marigny's most interesting offerings is their Piquette — a low-alcohol beverage (4.5% ABV) made by adding water to grape pomace after the primary wine has been pressed off. Piquette has roots in European farm tradition, where it was the everyday drink of vineyard workers — light, refreshing, and meant to be consumed freely without the effects of full-strength wine.
The low-ABV category is growing fast, driven by consumers who want the ritual and flavor of wine without the alcohol content. The Marigny's Piquette isn't a compromise — it's a genuinely delightful drink that fills a real gap in the market. At 4.5% ABV, it sits comfortably alongside hard seltzers and session beers, but with the complexity and character that only wine-based beverages can offer.
For wineries watching the low-ABV trend, Piquette represents an opportunity to reach new consumers and new occasions without developing an entirely new product category. It's made from what you already have — grape pomace — and it appeals to exactly the health-conscious, moderation-minded consumer segment that's reshaping the beverage industry.
Collaboration Culture
The Marigny has collaborated with Drink This Wine — the brand founded by former Bon Appétit editor Molly Baz — on a Sparkling Red that combines The Marigny's winemaking chops with Drink This Wine's audience and approachability. It's the kind of partnership that creates value for both brands and introduces each to the other's audience.
This collaborative approach is increasingly common in the natural wine world, where producers see each other as community rather than competition. For DTC brands, collaborations create content, generate buzz, and open up new customer acquisition channels at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing.
Check Them Out
The Marigny is proof that natural wine and intentional winemaking aren't mutually exclusive. If you're curious about carbonic maceration, interested in Piquette, or just want a bottle that's genuinely fun to drink, Andy Young's wines deliver.
Visit The Marigny and discover what modern table wines grown with intention taste like.
