Nicolas Carmarans Mauvais Temps 2022

Nicolas Carmarans gave up his Paris wine bar to make natural wine in the Aveyron, deep in Occitanie, where he works with native varieties under the local IGP Aveyron. Mauvais Temps blends Fer Servadou and Negret, two grapes rooted in this corner of south-west France, with Cabernet Franc, and is made with minimal intervention and certified organic fruit. Vinification is natural, without added yeasts or oenological products, so the wine ferments on its own indigenous flora and the fruit and place are left to speak. Fourteen months in French oak barrels round the texture and let the tannins settle without masking the varietal character, the gentle oxygen of the barrel building savoury depth rather than obvious wood. At twelve and a half percent it is a light to medium bodied red. The colour is bright ruby. The nose is fragrant, with raspberry, redcurrant and cherry lifted by black pepper, dried herbs and a floral rose top note, and the palate is fresh and supple with soft tannins, earthy savour and crisp acidity into a clean finish. Serve at fourteen to sixteen degrees, lightly chilled if you prefer. Good with charcuterie, roast pork and mushroom dishes.