Mas Coutelou L’Oublié Version 2022

Mas Coutelou works in the Languedoc-Roussillon, where Jean François Coutelou converted his land to organic farming in the 1980s, long before sustainability was common, sacrificing acreage to do it. L'Oublié Version is a Vin de France blend of Carignan, Cinsault and Syrah, bottled as a natural, organic and vegan wine. The Languedoc has a warm Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and stony, low-fertility soils, conditions that push grapes to full ripeness and give the wine its 14.5% alcohol and generous body. The scrubland herbs of the garrigue lend a recognisable savoury character to reds grown here. Barrel ageing softens the tannin through slow oxygen exchange and folds in a light spice and smoke without masking the fruit, while the old Carignan brings firm structure and the Syrah adds pepper and dark berry. Expect a deep ruby colour, a nose of ripe plum, cherry and black pepper over dried herbs and leather, and a warm, full palate with ripe tannin and a long, savoury finish. Serve at 17 degrees and decant young bottles for half an hour. It is built for roast lamb, grilled beef and game.