Tip It Back, Let Gravity Do the Rest
La Bascule is one of Roussillon's most exciting négociant natural wine projects — a collaborative vinification venture founded in 2019 by Caroline and Stéphane Morin, the visionary couple behind Domaine Léonine. The name "Bascule" is French slang for "tip it back" — the joy of a glass tilted by friends and clients, a moment of shared pleasure that defines everything they do. Working from organically farmed grapes sourced across Roussillon — from Cassagnes to Baixas to their own Saint-André vineyards — the Morins practice what they call "pompophobie": an aversion to pumps, relying entirely on gravity to move wine through every stage of the process. No external yeasts, no filtration, no fining, and only homeopathic doses of sulfur when absolutely necessary. The result is a portfolio of lively, digestible, pure-fruited wines with playful names and serious intent. This is not merely a négociant project; it is a manifesto for collaborative, low-intervention winemaking that puts pleasure and terroir expression above all else.
From Léonine to Bascule
The La Bascule story begins with Domaine Léonine, founded in 2005 by Caroline and Stéphane Morin on the foothills of the Albères mountains in Saint-André, Pyrénées-Orientales. For fourteen years, they built a reputation as key figures in the Roussillon natural wine movement, farming 12 hectares organically and crafting wines of purity and expression. But in 2019, they felt the pull of something more — a desire to collaborate, to experiment, to work with fruit from beyond their own vineyards while maintaining their uncompromising standards.
La Bascule was born as a SAS (Société par Actions Simplifiée) — a négociant de vinification, or vinification négociant. Unlike traditional négociants who buy finished wine and blend it, the Morins purchase organically farmed grapes and perform every step of the winemaking themselves. This is critical: they do not simply source wine; they source fruit, then apply their philosophy from harvest to bottle. The project allows them to work with trusted growers across Roussillon, experiment with new blends and styles, and expand their creative range without acquiring more land.
The name itself carries the spirit of the project. "Bascule" is French slang for tipping back a glass — that moment when a wine is so good, so pleasurable, that the glass tilts of its own accord. The joy of a glass "tipped back" by friends and clients is what motivates every cuvée. As their website proclaims: "Boire du vin c'est du plaisir, le faire, c'est jubilatoire!!" (Drinking wine is pleasure, making it is exhilarating!!)
The Morins are deeply embedded in the natural wine community. They work closely with Les Foulards Rouge and YoYo — kindred spirits in the Roussillon — and have fostered the Domaine Bascule project for their friend Fifi Essome (Dr. Fifi), who creates wines at their facility from organic fruit sourced around Roussillon. This collaborative, almost familial approach defines the Bascule ethos: wine as community, not competition.
"Boire du vin c'est du plaisir, le faire, c'est jubilatoire!! C'est la joie d'un verre 'basculé' par nos amis et clients qui nous motive à élaborer les cuvées Bascule."
— Caroline & Stéphane Morin
Pompophobie, Gravity & Organic Sourcing
La Bascule's fruit is sourced from three key organic vineyard sites across Roussillon, each contributing distinct terroir character to the portfolio. In Cassagnes, Paul Aymeric provides Grenache noir and gris, Carignan gris and blanc, Macabeu, and Cinsault. In Baixas, Lionel Condoret contributes Grenache blanc and Macabeu. And from their own Domaine Léonine in Saint-André, they draw Syrah and Carignan. This multi-site approach is deliberate: it allows the Morins to blend across terroirs, creating wines of complexity and breadth while supporting a network of organic growers who share their philosophy.
The Morins' most distinctive philosophy is "pompophobie" — their own playful term for an aversion to pumps. Every movement of wine in the cellar is accomplished by gravity alone. Wine flows from tank to barrel, from barrel to bottle, without mechanical intervention. This is not merely romantic; it is practical and philosophical. Gravity is gentle, silent, and free. It does not agitate the wine, introduce oxygen violently, or require electricity. It is the most natural way to move liquid, and it reflects the Morins' broader commitment to letting nature do the work.
The terroir of Roussillon is dramatic and diverse. The Albères mountains — the easternmost spur of the Pyrenees — create a rain shadow that gives the region its characteristic sunshine and dryness. The soils vary from schist and granite in the foothills to alluvial plains closer to the Mediterranean. The climate is hot and windy, with the tramontane wind sweeping down from the mountains, drying the vines and concentrating flavours. This is a land of extremes — intense sun, poor soils, and ancient vine varieties that have adapted over centuries to thrive in hardship.
All grapes are hand-harvested and carefully sorted. The Morins work the land with a tractor and by hand to manage weeds and promote healthy vine growth. Their focus is on living soil — healthy, biodiverse, and free from chemical interference. The organic certification of their source vineyards is non-negotiable; they will not work with fruit that has been treated with synthetic chemicals.
No pumps, ever. Wine moves by gravity through every stage. Gentle, silent, natural. No mechanical agitation, no violent oxygen introduction. The most respectful way to move wine from grape to glass.
Cassagnes (Paul Aymeric): Grenache, Carignan, Macabeu, Cinsault. Baixas (Lionel Condoret): Grenache blanc, Macabeu. Saint-André (Domaine Léonine): Syrah, Carignan. All certified organic. All hand-harvested.
Fostering Domaine Bascule for friend Fifi Essome. Close ties with Les Foulards Rouge and YoYo. Wine as community, not competition. The natural wine network as extended family.
Foothills of the eastern Pyrenees. Schist, granite, alluvial soils. Intense Mediterranean sun. Tramontane wind. Dramatic rain shadow. Ancient varieties adapted to extremes.
Indigenous Yeasts, Zero Additives & Homeopathic Sulfur
At La Bascule, the cellar philosophy is one of absolute purity and minimal intervention. The Morins' approach is intuitive and hands-on, with a focus on gentle handling and letting the grapes speak for themselves. They do not add external yeasts or other inputs. Filtration and fining are avoided entirely. Sulfur is used only in "homeopathic" doses and only if absolutely necessary — with many wines receiving no added sulfur dioxide at all. Their goal is simple: wines that are clean, digestible, and true to the fruit, with the least possible interference between grape and glass.
The winemaking process is defined by respect for the raw material:
Harvest & Sorting: All grapes are hand-picked and carefully sorted to ensure only the best fruit enters the cellar. Selection begins in the vineyard and continues at the winery door.
Vinification: Fermentations are spontaneous, driven by indigenous yeasts present on the grape skins. No commercial strains, no enzymes, no corrections. The Morins trust the natural microbial populations of their organic fruit.
Gravity Movement: Throughout the process, wine is moved exclusively by gravity — from press to tank, from tank to barrel, from barrel to bottle. No pumps, no mechanical agitation. This preserves the wine's natural texture and prevents oxidation.
Ageing: Wines age in a variety of vessels, including old barrels for some cuvées. The focus is on neutral wood that does not mask the fruit, allowing terroir and variety to express themselves clearly.
Bottling: Unfined and unfiltered. Sulfur only when necessary, in homeopathic quantities. The wines are bottled at the facility, with the Morins maintaining control from grape to final cork.
The portfolio is lively, playful, and memorable — each cuvée with a name that reflects its character:
"Qué Pasa?": A fresh and mineral white wine. Bright, approachable, and utterly drinkable.
"Banderole": Often 100% Mourvèdre, known for its structure and complexity. A flag planted firmly in Roussillon terroir.
"Bottle Neck": A vibrant and accessible red blend. The gateway to the Bascule philosophy.
"La Bascule": The signature range under the négociant label — pure fruit, digestible, and designed for pleasure.
"Qué Pasa?" — "Fresh, Mineral, and Impossibly Drinkable"
The "Qué Pasa?" is La Bascule's calling card — a white wine that demonstrates what happens when organic Roussillon grapes, gravity-fed winemaking, and zero-intervention philosophy converge in a single bottle.
Sourced from organically farmed vineyards in Cassagnes and Baixas, the blend typically features Grenache blanc and Macabeu — varieties that thrive in the hot, windy Roussillon climate while retaining acidity and mineral freshness. The grapes are hand-harvested and sorted, then gently pressed and moved by gravity into fermentation vessels. Indigenous yeasts drive spontaneous fermentation at ambient temperature. No temperature control, no selected yeasts, no additives. The wine ages in neutral vessels — old barrels or fiberglass — to preserve its crystalline freshness.
Bottled unfined and unfiltered, with zero or minimal sulfur, the "Qué Pasa?" is a wine of pure pleasure. In the glass, it is pale straw with greenish highlights. The nose is a burst of white peach, lemon zest, fennel, and a distinct saline minerality that speaks to the Mediterranean proximity. The palate is light-bodied and refreshing, with vibrant acidity, a creamy texture from lees contact, and a long, clean finish that invites another sip immediately. This is not a wine for contemplation; it is a wine for joy — for tipping back, for sharing, for the moment when the glass tilts of its own accord. Serve at 8–10°C. Drink young. ~€14–€18 / ~$15–$20.
The La Bascule Range
Caroline and Stéphane Morin produce a lively, terroir-driven portfolio through their La Bascule négociant project, sourcing organically farmed grapes from trusted growers across Roussillon. All wines are hand-harvested, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts, moved exclusively by gravity, and bottled unfined and unfiltered with zero or minimal sulfur. The portfolio spans fresh whites, structured reds, and vibrant blends — each with a playful name and serious intent. Prices are approximate and in EUR/USD.