A BOTTLE WE LOVE
Mikaël Bouges 'French Claret'

A quenching $26 Côt that has us grasping for an early Spring 🙏

WHAT'S IN THE BOTTLE:

100% organic Côt (that's French Malbec) from Faverolles-sur-Cher, a countryside town in the Loire Valley region of Touraine. It's treated gently, with just four days of maceration and no pump-overs or punchdowns during fermentation. Unfined, unfiltered with just a touch of sulfur at bottling for stability, it's a particularly fresh and earthy expression of this normally heavy-handed varietal.
 
It's made by Mikaël Bouges, whose roots are strong in Touraine. He grew up in the village with his father farming vines organically since the early 90s; and the vines Mikaël has planted were sourced via selection massale from a centenarian vineyard owned by his friends at the neighboring cult-classic Loire estate Clos Roche Blanche. Now, he makes single varietal, single parcel wines from local varieties Côt, Sauvignon Blanc, Menu Pineau, and Chenin – with the intent of vivdly expressing the variety of alluvial soils in the region.

WHY WE DIG IT:

Aside from delivering that burst of juicy freshness we crave during these first teases of springtime, it's a lively expression of what Malbec is capable of. Dark fruited and deeply flavorful, while maintaining the bright acidity and digestibility we love in Loire wine.

HOW WE'RE DRINKING IT:

We hope with light jackets and gauzy happy hours! But, this bottle will do so nicely with any weeknight meal – its fruit and freshness can surely flex.

GET CLARET $26