Floral & Mineral
One of the most coveted, yet accessible natural wines in France. From legendary winemaker Matthieu Barret of Domaine de Coulet in Cornas. The Matthieu Barret labelled wines are from a leased organic and biodynamic vineyard in Visan, about an hour South of the Domaine.
Petit Ours Blanc is a Roussanne dominant blend with a touch of Viognier. The grapes come from biodynamic vines planted in the alentours of Autichamps, a village just outside of the Diois region. The soils here are a mixture of clay, silt and sand above the hard limestone mother rock, a foundation that gives the wine a special mineral character. The grapes are harvested just before fully ripe to obtain a sharp and fresh wine, something that is enhanced by the altitude at which the vines sit – 420 meters above sea level.
Matured in vats, neither fined nor filtered, and with just a micro-dose of sulphur, this white wine is essentially the opposite of the style of wine we typically expect from these two very aromatic grape varieties. It has a very expressive – not exuberant – floral nose, with notes of apricot and dried fruit. The palate is bold yet smooth, well-balanced, and mineral, with fine bitter notes. This wine has a good intensity and a fresh acidity due to the early harvest.
