Bottler: Domaine du Coulet, rue du Ruisseau 43, 07130 Cornas / France
In the glass
Colour
Deep purple to violet.
Nose
Blackberries, wild cherries and cassis, accompanied by white pepper, floral notes of violets and roses as well as a fine herbal spiciness.
Palate
Extremely juicy and invigorating on the palate, with dark berries, hints of Assam tea, violet pastilles and hung meat; slender, elegant, with gentle tannins and no heaviness.
Character
A fresh, fruity, downright jovial Syrah — a true "vin de copains", light-footed and wonderfully easy-drinking.
Pairing
Grilled sausages and lamb chops, pasta with a robust mushroom or tomato sauce, hearty baked dishes.
Notes
Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts and ageing in concrete tanks and concrete eggs without any wood whatsoever; part of the grapes undergoes carbonic maceration, which lends the wine its opulent fruit. Sulphur is used only minimally (approx. 10 mg/l) at bottling. The estate has been Demeter-certified biodynamic since 2002 — incidentally, the nickname "Petit Ours Brun" goes back to Stéphane Tissot.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Deep purple with a violet rim – dense, youthful and luminous.
Nose
A fresh, juicy Syrah with blackberries, wild cherries and cassis. Alongside this, white pepper, floral notes of violets and roses, as well as a fine herbal spiciness. Untameably lively on the nose.
Palate
Extremely juicy and easy-drinking: dark berries meet Assam tea, violet pastilles and a hint of aged meat. Elegantly and slenderly drawn, with gentle tannins and without any heaviness – a true vin de copains.
Finish
Fresh and fruit-driven, with a peppery aftertaste and a finely spiced, long-lasting finish.
Terroir & origin
The grapes combine the power of the southern Rhône (Visan) with the elegance of the north (Cornas). Behind it stands Domaine du Coulet, run by Matthieu Barret – the seventh generation of winemakers, biodynamic and Demeter-certified since 2002, with steep, south-facing granite terraces in Cornas that are worked by mules rather than tractors.
Grape variety & vinification
100% Syrah. Spontaneous fermentation with wild yeasts, part of the grapes as carbonic maceration – which lends the fruity, almost jovial character. Ageing over six to nine months takes place in concrete tanks and concrete eggs, entirely without wood; sulphur is only added minimally at bottling (approx. 10 mg/l).
Food recommendations
A wine for the table among friends: grilled lamb chops, charcuterie and rustic country bread, pizza with spicy toppings or ratatouille. Also a delight served slightly chilled with grilled vegetables.
Special features
The name goes back to Stéphane Tissot, who called Barret “Petit Ours Brun” – little brown bear. Barret’s credo of “100% grape” is uncompromisingly evident here: no barriques, no fining, no filtration. What remains is unadulterated, purple-red Syrah fruit – Rhône drinking in its cheekiest, most immediate form.
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