Côtes Du Rhône “Petit Ours” rouge Winter Bear Edition AOP 2025

Wine description for Côtes Du Rhône “Petit Ours” rouge Winter Bear Edition AOP 2025 by Du Coulet

Character

This is the red entry-level label of Domaine du Coulet, bringing Cornas’s long-standing reputation to the glass in the most direct manner. It eschews any artifice, allowing the naked expression of Northern Rhône Syrah from the surrounding slopes to shine through. The wine inevitably adheres to Matthieu Barret’s restrained artisanal paradigm. Thus, the aromas remain pure, dark and deliberately unguarded.

Terroir & Origin

The grapes come from cool, granitic terraces around Cornas in the northern Rhône Valley. As a tiny family estate, Du Coulet has cultivated steep south-facing vineyard sites here for generations. The Winter Bear Edition refreshes the estate’s early-drinking wines and pays tribute to the close ties between Barret and Jura icon Stéphane Tissot.

Grape Variety & Vinification

A pure Syrah blend with low yields. One could trace step by step how the experimental vinification of 2024 paved the way for 2025’s more profound precision. The estate has been farming biodynamically and certified for many years; today, the team relies on spontaneous fermentation, time-tested concrete tanks and minimal intervention. Only pure fruit and intact tannins are prioritised here.

Food Pairings

Natural wines of this calibre demonstrate that less is often more. Accompanied by roast lamb, autumn vegetables or broccoli-pistachio-based sauces, it reaches its fullest expression. Braised quail and wild mushrooms harmonise just as well ‑ here too, the simplicity of the dish prevails.