I am really proud to offer people the oportunity to drink a not boring soft drink...
It's a drink we can share with our children (educating them to aromatic complexity)
Pregnant womens don't feel punished anymore when not sharing a glass of wine.
and moreover the Antidote has different meaning for me.
Even as a winemaker (since 20 years now) I experimented several time deception when I wanted to share a good moment with friends and when it was not proper time for me to drink alcool.
For example it is too early in the morning / not compatible with responsabilities like driving, worrying about kids.... or even just because I wanted to enjoy my full capabilities for a rendez-vous;-))
I discover 15 years ago with the creation of a Petillant (Petit coin de Paradis - 6% of Alcool) that there were a lot of different (balanced points) that might be seen as a target in my work.
And I started to think about how to have a less sweet Juice with no alcool that I might share even with my own kids.
As I was really interessted in Biodiversity, and used to collect wild flowers and herbs, I imagined blending juice with herbal tea.
Somehow, i found the idea really funny to have in the juice the same herbs that grown naturally inbeetween the vines, and normally are seen as a problem.
What a nice re-frame.
Those herbs, traditionnaly recognized as competitors in the field became thrue allies in the production process.
I started blending juice and tea in 2010. But bubbles were missing. It's the funny part of the Balance
I looked then for a partner (and found Philippe who is apple producer).
Then, from year to year I approach and evaluate the Antidote like a wine in term of balance (acidity/sugar/bubbles/bitterness),
and try to follow the guidance of intuition.
This year was a big challenge with less acidity in the grappes...
