Grenache
Cuvée Briande 2023
Le Mazel

Grape Variety: Grenache

Producer: Le Mazel (Gérald Oustric)

Region: Valvignères, Ardèche, France

Wild Scale: 4/5

Vegan friendly wine

Winemaking: Organic Grenache grapes were harvested by hand. 10 day carbonic maceration before being pressed into stainless steel to finish the fermentation with indigenous yeast. Aged in tank. Bottled with no fining, filtration or added sulphur.

This Wine: Natural red wine which acts as another example of how Gérald's bottles display so much character but at the same time are very straight forward and approachable. The complex spice, herbal and black fruit flavours compliment cured meat dishes perfectly. Medium to full bodied with no flavours of oak. Extremely ageworthy.

Notes on the Winemaker: After meeting the famous Beaujolais producer Marcel Lapierre, Gérald Oustric realised it was time to stop selling grapes to the local co-cop in the Ardèche village of Valvignères and instead focus on making authentic wines with personality that reflect the natural environment of the vines. Now he is seen as one of the godfathers of the natural wine movement and his cuvées have the ability to age amazingly well.