Côtes-de-Bourg , 2015

Since 2008, Valérie runs a 3h vineyard where the vines are 40 years with a majority of Malbec, more particularly the malbec à queue rouge, the original strain of the variety that gives much more complex aromatics and flavours. Fruit trees are scattered through her vines, useful for biodiversity, and she picks herbs and flowers (e.g. dandelion flowers, horsetail, nettles, ferns, oak bark) from which she makes tisanes to spray for protection against mildew and other diseases. The grass is allowed to grow throughout the rows and chickens roam freely in the vines acting as pest control. Unsurprisingly, her wines have exceptional fruit and textures, with energy, freshness and salinity that set them apart.