These are lovely, lovely wines. I followed them over the course of a few days, so I’m fairly confident in my recommendations, too. They are made by Jeff Coutelou, in France’s Languedoc. Jeff works naturally, using very little sulfur dioxide at all. All are young, dense and grippy, and I think that you’d be safe cellaring them for a few years (maybe 3?) even though they have minimal aded sulphites.
But I just love drinking these wines in their vivid youth, and despite their youthful structure, they show some complexity and good balance between the sweet pure fruit and more savoury flavours. They are stunning value for money.
Mas Coutelou 7 Rue de la Pompe 2012 Vin de France
A varietal Syrah from the Languedoc. Wonderfully vivid and meaty with peppery raspberry and cherry fruit on the nose. The palate is grippy and firm but has lovely purity and focus. Brooding, spicy, meaty and backward. Lovely structure and purity. 92/100 (£9.95 Roberson)
Mas Coutelou Le Vin des Amis 2012 Vin de France
A blend of 75% Syrah, 25% Grenache. Rich, dense, vivid and pure. Quite backward with real grip under the vivid black fruits. Powerful and structure with amazing fruit quality, dominated by fresh blackberry and black cherries. 93/100 (£12.95 Roberson)
Mas Coutelou Paf La Syrah 2012 Vin de France
A special single-plot cuvee of Syrah. Wonderfully floral, sweetly fruited cherry nose with some pure liqueur-like notes. The palate is fruity and vivid with raspberry and cherry fruit as well as some acid bite. Very pure, fruity and silky with some tannic grip. Incredible fruit purity here. 93/100 (£18.95 Roberson)
I have several bottles of the Vin des Amis (2010) myself, but in my experience, although this wine was lovely during the first months following my purchase (end 2011 I believe), it has not aged well and is almost completely oxidised by now. This also has to do, in my opinion at least, with the inferior quality of corks that have been used. The wine has litterally soaked well over 90% of the entire cork over the past few years. I am unaware whether the corking has improved with the 2012 vintage.
Just trying my first ‘natural wine’, as a result of Jamie’s post. The Mas Coutelou 7 Rue de la Pompe 2012 Vin de France is delicious! Great nose and great in the mouth. Absolutely love it. I will definitely not be cellar ring any of these wines. My impression is that they are meant to be drunk young. Thanks Jamie.