Cyril & Jean-Mi "VdF Rouge" Languedoc-Roussillon, France 2023

FROM SELECTION MASSALE:

THE WINE: Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah on Sandy clay/Limestone in the Gard. Certified organic vineyards. Naturally fermented, separately in cement vats. Vinified with no s02 in cement vats and blended 3 months before bottling in stainless steel. 10 ppm s02 at bottling

THE PRODUCER: After a couple years of talks we made the move with our friend Cyril who grows the grapes for Martin Texier’s Boutanche. Cyril has been growing and harvesting Cinsault and Grenache for the Boutanche project for years, we knew the quality of fruit he was providing, his commitment to organic viticulture, and his vinification skills. Cyril runs a rather large estate of vineyards some parts he runs, the other, including a plot of old Syrah and a plot of Cabernet Sauvignon, he rents to his friend Jean Michel, who brings the fruit to the cave cooperative he runs, “Les Vignerons de Quissac”.

Jean Mi has been running the cave coop like the old days, it is a vignerons-owned operation producing very standard wines for various markets, but Jean Mi has been interested in exploring a more natural approach in vinification. So, with Cyril overseeing all aspects in the cellar, we vinified 100hl of Cabernet Sauvignon and another 100 of Syrah separately, macerated for 10/11 days, entirely sans souffre, then blended in cement and settled in stainless vat before bottling with 10ppm so2 added.

Very early on Nadim and I loved the idea of Cabernet and Syrah, we both loved Gassac, Grange des Pères and Trevallon, but also lesser known wines like those of Mas de Gourgonnier in Provence. It often feels like these wines, the balance of the Austere Cabernet to the more in your face southern Syrah, is always working out in a way that showcases the Terroir, making the varietal aspect secondary.