Fabien Jouves Les Escures 2024

Mas del Perie is the Cahors estate of Fabien Jouves, a young winemaker who took it on in 2006 and farms biodynamically on a hilltop at Trespoux in south-west France. He vinifies naturally, without oenological additives, ageing his wines in concrete tanks, foudres and barrels and following each cuvee through to maturity. Les Escures is his fresh, approachable Malbec, the grape that built Cahors and that the region traditionally renders dark, firm and tannic. The limestone soils of the Trespoux plateau and the natural, low-intervention approach here give a lighter, more vibrant take at 12.5 percent, with the structure of Cahors but more lift than the classic heavyweights. Concrete and large-format ageing preserves the fruit and keeps oak out of the picture. The wine is deep ruby to purple, with a nose of dark plum, red berries, black pepper, liquorice and a fresh, earthy note edged with cocoa. The palate is medium bodied, the tannins firm but fine-grained and the acidity bright, finishing dark and savoury. Serve at 16 to 17 degrees with a short decant. It suits grilled red meats and hard cheese.