Le Mazel! (l'Automne est Arrivé) Early Autumn Wine

Marc here!  Has it been over a month already? I can't believe it! It's been a busy time and I've been working on getting a website up!  Please visit! Most of my past offers and a synopsis of what I do, is contained here. 

I don't often feature a single producer, but this is one of the rare exceptions and I feel that the line-up, across the board, offers a variety of authentic wine from this amazing producer. And while, they are all different (obviously), there is a thread of commonality that runs through these cuvées; an expression of purity and vision, clean and unfettered. Gérald Oustric and business partner, Jocelyne, his sister, may be to the Ardeche, what Guy Breton, Marcel Lapierre, Jean Foillard, and Claude Chanudet are to Beaujolais; pioneers in non-interventionist, natural wine making. Gérald studied with all of them in his early twenties, after taking over his father's 20 hectares in 1982. 1997 was Le Mazel's first vintage. Oustric has mentored, among others, André Calek, whose wines have been offered here before. What they all have in common is this VIBRANCY & ELECTRICITY that is a shiny example of UNFUCTWITHWINE-ness. (Calek's wines will be back later this season! look for them here!). As the natural wine movement has moved evermore into the fast lane of the social media highway and as eye candy labels and cartoons festoon many of the faddish bottlings adorning the screens of the click addicted, Oustric is an authentic whisper that rises above the cacophony of bullshit. KNOW THY PRODUCER! And this is one of those producers you need to know!

Gérald, André Calek and partner Stephani, and Gerald’s sister Jocelyne

Here is the offering from left, in the photo above:

Cuvée Raoul Carignan- $30

thirty eight year old vines, estate planted on clay and limestone; Carbonic fermentation in concrete, eleven months elevage in concrete before bottling. This means Carignan with a lighter touch, bringing out a lot of red fruit, live acid and mineral, taming the feral nature of the grape. Zero additives

Cuvée Briand Grenache- $30

Also estate grown, thirty eight year old vines on clay and limestone; carbonic fermentation in concrete, with ten months elevage before bottling. A super fresh grenache whose tendency toward oxidation and discoloration is offset by the anaerobic, natural protection of carbonic maceration. the end product of which is this vibrant pure fruit expression. Zero Additives

Cuvée Charbonieres Chardonnay- $33

A heads up that I was only able to obtain six bottles each of this and the Viognier! Vines here are slightly younger than the red vines, at thirty three years old, whole cluster pressed into a combination of steel and concrete, with ten months elevage before bottling. An oaked Chardonnay this is not, with all texture coming from the whole cluster pressing; super focused, and not because it is lazer sharp on the acid, but because of a balance here of acid and fruit, with a beautiful struck flint minerality. Just enough lees to give it texture and and balance. Zero additives

Cuvée Mias Viognier- $33

Fresh! and lovely expression of this grape, Viognier vinified exactly as the Chardonnay! By virtue of the grape itself, this is a richer wine, with a bit of oily unctuousness to it and I write this with hesitation, for fear of frightening some of you off. But that weight is what makes it so perfect as a compliment to some of the meals you may plan in the not too distant future, that would involve fowl- it's perfect!

Whereas, the fruits that I often find in Chardonnay tend toward the hard flesh of pears and apples; those of Viognier are the juicy nectar of peach and nectarine with a bit of honey and almond thrown into the mix. Zero additives

Vin de Soif!- $27

As you might expect, this is your easy drinking super light glou-glou wine... serve it up with a chill, among the people you love! A combination of Carignan & Syrah, short time in steel and concrete before bottling, keeps it light and fresh. This is definitely a wine to serve with a bit of a chill upon it! Zero Additives

Cuvée Larmande, Syrah- $30

Another varietally pure expression of the grape! Amazing, black pepper and olive, interweaving with a stone austerity and brambly blackberry fruit. Ten months in concrete and steel before bottling, zero additives

That's the line-up this week!

As always, get in touch with me here: Cantina Sauvage

4 bottles bring me to your door

6 bottles or more will bring me outside the city limits to you!

Much love, as always