Mas Coutelou Ploutelou 2023

Mas Coutelou is a natural wine estate in Puimisson, in the Languedoc, where Jeff Coutelou makes light, easy reds farmed organically and made with minimal intervention. Ploutelou is one of his fun, early-drinking bottlings, a field blend of Aramon, Cinsault, Clairette and Garnacha Tinta, including a white grape in the mix. The vines grow on the warm, stony soils of the Languedoc plain, but the wine is picked and handled to keep freshness rather than power. There is no oak here, and the wine is made naturally with little or no added sulphur, which gives it a bright, direct fruit character and a slight energy on the palate. The colour is light and vivid. The nose is floral and fresh, with cherry, red berries and redcurrant over a light earthy note. The palate is juicy, low in tannin and easy to drink, with crunchy red fruit and a clean, savoury finish. This is a red to serve lightly chilled, at fourteen to sixteen degrees, in an ordinary wine glass. It suits charcuterie, roast pork and lighter dishes rather than heavy meat.