French Wine Label Souleil Vin de Bonté: Quality Organic Production and a Commitment to Nature

Celebrated for more than just delightful drinking, Souleil Vin de Bonté is a wine with a purpose. In addition to supporting nonprofits fighting plastic pollution in the world’s oceans, it sponsors educational programs and live events focused on nature. Souleil has also committed itself to sustainable wine production, using only Ecocert-certified organic grapes, labels made from recycled paper, and lightweight bottles.

Souleil Vin de Bonté cofounder Marianne Fabre-Lanvin / Photo: Courtesy of Charles Roussel

With a name evoking sun and goodness, this soulful wine company shares its South of France origins with its founders, Marianne Fabre-Lanvin and Thomas Delaude. Their organic French wines are produced by friends for friends. A wine agent and well-tanned kite surfer, Delaude was raised in Montpellier. As a child, he worked in his family’s vineyard but always found time for swimming, beach volleyball and discovering the best surf spots. Fabre-Lanvin, a wine publicist based in Paris and New York, also grew up in the South of France, where her family has had vineyards since the 19th century.

Fabre-Lanvin with her mother and grandmother in the South of France / Photo: Courtesy of Marianne Fabre-Lanvin

After gaining expertise in the industry, the two childhood friends began pursuing their dream of creating a wine that embodies the feeling of an endless summer. In 2022, they conceptualized Souleil Vin de Bonté, a brand that makes nature and community well-being the cornerstones of its philosophy.

Souleil-supported non-profits include the 5 Minute Foundation, launched by Fabre-Lanvin’s close friend Carolina Sevilla. After years of serving as a diplomat at the United Nations and as consul of Costa Rica, Sevilla launched the 5 Minute Beach Cleanup movement in 2016 from her tree house in Santa Teresa. This action-based nonprofit has organized or coordinated more than 35,000 cleanups in 90 locations worldwide.

Souleil also collaborates with husband-and-wife duo Maesh Soneea and Alexandra Vasseur, who initiated beach cleanups in Mauritius with Reef Conservation. These events conclude with cheerful, aperitif-style tastings featuring Souleil’s line of three wines. At its core, Souleil is a way to socialize, bringing radiance and goodness into gatherings of friends. Now, let’s talk about the wines.

Le Blanc

The current 2022 vintage is a blend of one of the most unique and underrated grapes, Piquepoul (65 percent), with Terret blanc (20 percent) and ugni blanc (15 percent). On the nose are high-toned aromas of white peach (sometimes confused with tropical fruit) and salty sea air, along with flavors of Meyer lemon. This wine’s salinity and zingy acidity pairs fabulously with freshly shucked oysters and strong cheeses.

Le Rosé

Every time I taste this I instantly smile from ear to ear. A masterful, well-rounded blend of grenache (75 percent), Cinsault (20 percent) and Syrah (five percent), it is sourced from saline-kissed grapes from organically farmed vineyards along the Mediterranean coast. Postharvest, the grapes are cooled and macerated for a very short period to obtain this wine’s pale-pink hue. It feels so light it could be a replacement for drinking water.

Le Rouge

With aromas of red candied fruit and a flavor of crushed blackberries, cassis and aged leather, this complex red must be stored in the fridge, as its freshness shows best when cool. A blend of grenache (58 percent) and Syrah (42 percent), it’s an approachable wine with energetic acidity and great vibrancy on the finish, pairing well with cheeses, chocolate and spicy foods—or even without any food at all.