2019 Fabien Jouves Autochtones

Community Tasting Notes (1) Avg Score: 86 points

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  12/12/2021 - forceberry wrote: 86 Points

  A blend of biodynamically farmed Jurançon Noir, Gibert, Valdiguié and Noual. Fermented spontaneously and macerated with the skins for 15 days in oak barrels, aged for 12 months in old 500-liter demi-muids, bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulfites. 12% alcohol.
  
  Dark and very slightly hazy raspberry red color with a dark plummy hue. Fragrant and slightly sauvage nose with aromas of sappy red fruits, fresh boysenberries, some lifted notes of nail polish, a little bit of crunchy crowberry, light appley tones, a perfumed hint of floral character and a touch of fresh red cherry. The wine is dry, crunchy and moderately wild on the palate with a light-to-medium body and very acid-driven flavors of tart lingonberries and cranberries, some brambly raspberry-driven sappy red fruit, light lifted notes of nail polish and a faint volatile hint of acetic roughness. The structure relies almost entirely on the very high acidity as the tannins come across very gentle and easy. The medium-long finish is dry and crunchy with sappy flavors of tart cranberries and lingonberries, some brambly raspberry tones, a little bit of crowberry, light appley tones and a hint of herbal character.
  
  A pleasant little red that is enjoyably dry and crunchy. Feels very much light a cool-climate red wine without any obviously recognizable varietal characteristics, thanks to the rare and fairly unknown varieties. However, the overall style is also maybe a bit too sauvage for my taste - there's slightly too much acetic acidity here for my preference, and unfortunately the remainder of the bottle had become unpleasantly mousy by the next day. If opened, this wine needs to consumed within the next few hours so that it doesn't turn too mousy. All in all, an interesting effort and I'm all for using rare, overlooked and forgotten local varieties, but I'd say the wine would've been even better with a bit more SO2 (to keep the wine from getting too acetic and mousy) and with a little bit more of tannic structure. Feels a bit pricey for the quality at 20€.

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