After going Ouest we headed back to the Hérault for an event called Bons Vivants. One of the driving forces behind the event is Fred Lamboeuf of Picamandil in the village where I have enjoyed many a meal and bought many a bottle. Jeff Coutelou is based in the next village and he, together with many natural wine producers, were present on April 20th, spread around the village and its château. The event was very well attended and lived up to all expectations with excellent wines, lively animations and good food provision.
It was a good opportunity to catch up with friends, old and new. Jeff held a get together of vignerons earlier in the week, some new to me, and I was able to enjoy more of their wines at Bons Vivants. There are too many wines to describe in detail so here are my favourite wines.
Pierre et L’Étoile is the domaine of Pierre Regnault based in Assignan. After early vintages Pierre realised that sulfur and sulfites were causing him personal discomfort and illness. At the same time he decided to reduce the power and alcohol content of his wines as well as remove chemical treatments in the vineyards. The wines also changed to monocépage and it was his Carignan, Maelstrom 2022, which I liked most, full of fruit but also length and freshness, so much so that I bought some.
La Quinte is the project of Matthieu Schutzger and Pierrick Lieber, two young Alsatian winemakers who have established themselves in Aigues-Vives, not far from Pierre’s domaine. Named after the space between music notes these two also have a distillery and use plants for medicinal use on their vines. Bottled in Alsace flutes as a nod to their heritage I enjoyed their Syrah, Octave (musical influences abound) but most of all their white wine La Dorée 22. Made from Grenache Blanc grapes not picked until December 15th (Alsace influence?) and given 3 days on skins the wine was fruity with a hint of late harvest sweetness but essentially dry and a note of oxidation added more complexity. Very promising.
I have known Yannick Pelletier for many years now and he is one of the nicest people in wine, quietly spoken, polite and always welcoming. I have also enjoyed many of his wines over the years, he doesn’t rush them and they show pure fruit and Yannick’s skill in the cellar. I was unaware of his Beaujolais roots but I can recognise that influence in the wines. His rosé, José 21, is direct pressed Grenache and Mourvèdre, and full of bright red fruit flavours, still fresh despite the age. The interestingly named Volatil 22 is his Cinsault, such a friendly grape with summery, fresh fruit (there were no hints of volatility either!).
I have also been fortunate to know Sybil Baldassare and Alex Durand for a long time now. They are a Faugères based couple and each has their own domaine. Sybil’s La Graine Sauvage has garnered much justified praise and is the only all white wine domaine in the appellation. A trained oenologist, Sybil eschews any additions to the grape juice and her wines are pure and clean. On this occasion it was a new wine, À Léon, which I found exciting. Named in honour of their new son it is a blend of Vermentino, Roussanne and Marsanne grapes given a few days maceration to produce a skin contact wine with texture but plenty of clean, white fruit. Lovely and my joint highest rated wine of the day. Alex’s Peira Levada domaine concentrates on red wines, for now, and bring plenty of Faugères character with red fruits and structure from the schist and marble soils. The labels are always fascinating but the wines speak for themselves. Favourite on the day was Velvet Underschiste (brilliant name and label) made with Grenache and Syrah grapes fermented with additional dry skins. There’s power, big fruit and a lovely freshness. I Found A Reason to buy some.*
It was good to catch up with Olivier Andrieu of Clos Fantine, one of my favourite winemaking families whose Faugères vineyards are stunningly beautiful and unploughed for the last ten years. I was very taken by a new cuvée, Fantasque, made with hand pressed Grenache and Syrah to which a little Muscat is added afterwards adding grapey notes and lifting the wine’s aromatics and flavours. However, the standout wine was certainly Tradition 2016. We’d had Tradition 20 which is always so classically Faugères and Languedoc but the extra ageing of the 2016 showed how pure, natural wine can benefit from time in bottle. Deep, red and black fruits from Syrah, Carignan and Grenache but with complexity, length and still feeling youthful. Joint top rated wine of the day.
Another old friend was present, Simon Bertshinger of Mas Sibert, whom I had not seen for way too long. Simon and his wife, Sara, were the subject of one of my first producer profiles back in 2015 and I have bought their wines since then. Another Faugères producer, based in Fos, Simon and Sara have unusual grape varieties for the area such as Petit Verdot and Merlot as well as more typical Syrah etc. Two wines from 2019 were my favourites, Armélot (Merlot and Petit Verdot) full of restrained fruit and complexity and Soléno with more red fruit notes from Syrah as well as Merlot and Petit Verdot too. The wines need time to mature to reach their peak but are worth the wait. I was saddened to hear from Simon that they are likely to be giving up their domaine, worried about the effects of climate change and how it affects the wines they want to make. Whatever the future brings, I wish them well and buy their wines while you can!
The final two wines I want to highlight both came from producers who I had not met until Jeff’s gathering two days previously. One of the best things about the natural wine world is how producers help out and encourage each other. Jeff’s former career as a teacher, nurturing young talent is well known with a number of winemakers citing his support and influence. One of those is certainly Gaëlle Steunou based in the village of Vailhan, between Pézenas and Bédarieux. Her domaine is Grain D’L based on old vine Carignan, Noir and Blanc, Grenache and Aramon. I liked all her wines but the one I bought was the Carignan Noir 2020, the final one of the trio garnering my highest ranking of the day. Given 3 to 5 weeks on skins, the individual small tanks are given 10 to 24 months to mature before being assembled. Full, bright dark fruits and very long on the palate it is an excellent Carignan, such a cornerstone grape of the area. This is Gaëlle’s biggest production but there are only 2000 bottles. She and her wife are gradually forging a domaine to follow, its punny name reflecting female skills and the wines reflecting a skilful winemaker.
Ian Lu became a winemaker after moving to the Lamalou area, west of Bédarieux with his wife. His passion is plants and, influenced by neighbours Wim Wagemans (Le Bouc A 3 Pattes) and Axel Prufer (Les Temps des Cerises) , he decided to try winemaking. I had enjoyed Ian’s wine at Jeff’s and was pleased to try more here. Glou Glou 22 was a very good example of fruity Grenache, pleasurable and serious. Marguerite et Coccinelle 22 was my favourite though with red fruit notes, light with 12%alc and real freshness. Delicious, another purchase and a lovely label too. I certainly will be following Ian’s career at Auprès De Mon Cep and urge you to do so too.
Congratulations to Fred and everyone associated with organising Bons Vivants, one of the better tastings I have attended and highlighting the talents of local winemakers from the area around Puissalicon and the Hérault. It was good to see many attendees who would not usually be natural wine consumers, I am sure many will have been convinced with so many top wines on show. Sales were brisk at Fred’s pop up shop (see below). There were plenty of other producers I’d have liked to visit but time is sadly limited. To next year and more good living.
*(sorry about that Velvet Underground song reference)