Mas Coutelou - Jeff Coutelou
Puimisson - Languedoc
Jean François Coutelou (Jeff for short) runs his family’s domaine in Puimisson a few kilometres from Beziers on France’s mediterrenean coast.
The farm has been certified organic since 1987 and disturbed by the monoculture of modern farming Jeff has planted thousands of trees amongst his vineyards transforming the 20 hectares of the farm to 13 planted with vines and the rest with olives, figs, almonds…
The soils, varied but predominantly chalky- clay, are worked manually so as not to compress them too much and the treatments are as plant based as possible.
The vineyards themselves are planted with many varieties ; Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, for the reds, Sauvignon blanc, grenache blanc et gris, carignan blanc, macabéo, muscat petits grains and Alexandrie for the whites, giving Jeff the most extraordinary palette to create his wines which unusually for the region are incredibly refreshing, drinkable wines that deserve contemplation. We can’t get enough of them.
Wines from Mas coutelou
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Syrah, Grenache noir, Mourvedre
Style: Red
Alc.: 13%
Size: 150cl bottle
Notes: MAGNUM Made from a 2-week maceration of three grape varieties, aged for an extra year in concrete tanks. Dark jammy fruit and inky tannin, but still fresh with great drinkability. One to have with a pot roast of lamb shoulder or a joint of beef on a Sunday!
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Macabeu
Style: White
Alc.: 12.81%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: Harvested in the early morning. Destemmed with a 5 day maceration, pressed and left to settle for a long time on the lees. Intensely herbal on the nose, waxy and distinctly Mediterranean on the palate. This is one for the Macabeu lovers out there.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Muscat d’Alexandrie
Style: White
Alc.: 13.92%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: Harvested in the early morning. Destemmed and macerated 5 week, with very little pigeage and remotage. This is from the free run juice only. Perfumed and heady on the nose, with a salty apricot-y finish.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Macabeu
Style: White / Orange
Alc.: 12.5%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: Coming from two plots, the fruit from Peilhan is macerated for 10 days and the fruit from Metaieries for 15 days. It is then aged on the lees in 15HL concrete eggs. Distinctly Macabeu, with its spice and herbal notes, this opens up beautifully and develops a isotonic salty finish.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Clairette
Style: White / Orange
Size: 75cl bottle
Alc.: 12.35%
Notes: Harvested in the early morning harvest. Destemmed with a 4 day maceration. This is just the free run juice and is left to settle for a long time on the lees. Herbal and fruity, with some white pepper spice.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Grenache Noir
Style: Red
Alc.: 14%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: From two plots: Sainte Suzanne on chalky clay & La Garrigue on Villafranchien limestone. Both plots are destemmed, the fruit from St. Suzanne macerated for 10 days & Garrigue for 12 days. The plumpest and ripest tasting of the reds from 2024; it’s still easy drinking with lovely freshness.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Carignan, Grenache Noir
Style: Red
Size: 75cl bottle
Alc.: 13%
Notes: Dense but fruit-driven! Jeff's deft hand in working with Languedoc varieties really shows; the use of concrete for allows the more lifted fruit qualities to shine through. This has pronounced spritz!
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Cinsault, Grenache Noir, Syrah
Style: Red
Alc.: 13%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: Roughly equal parts of all three grapes. The Cinsault is destemmed and macerated for 6 days; Syrah and Grenache destemmed and macerated for 12 days. The nose is full of Syrah spice and bloodiness, and on the palate it feels lighter and fresher than previous vintages.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: 70% Mourvèdre, 15% Cinsault, 15% Muscat à Petits Grains
Style: Red
Size: 75cl bottle
Alc.: 11.7%
Notes: Harvested together, destemmed and macerated for 2 days, with very little pigeage and remontage. The Muscat brings some aromatics and structure, with a lick of minerality and pithy gooseberry-like tannin. A little spritz on opening which helps keep this fresh.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Xarel lo
Style: White
Size: 75cl bottle
Alc.: 13.5%
Notes: Harvested in the early morning, this younger vine plot has very low yields. Destemmed and macerated for 4 day, left to settle for a long time on the lees. Savoury and floral at the same time with some white pepper spice.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Cinsault, Grenache noir
Style: Red
Alc.: 12.8%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: Brambly dark fruit with a touch of wildness coming from the cinsault. A delicious, food-friendly wine with real drinkability… this is also quite lovely chilled!
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Cinsault
Style: Red
Alc: 12.16%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: Destemmed maceration for 6 days in concrete, with only very little remontage, and only 1 racking to preserve the freshness. A nice mix of summer fruits and borage-like herbaceousness. Best chilled!
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Terret noir & blanc, Castets, Morastel, Riveyrenc gris
Style: Red
Alc.: 14.5%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: From one of Jeff’s plots where he cultivates old and lesser-known Languedoc varieties. This sees longer maceration on the skins and ageing in a mix of concrete and old barrels. It’s inky dark, with warm punchy fruit.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: 60% Cinsault, 40% Aramon
Style: Red
Alc.: 11.38%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: Destemmed and macerated for 6 days in concrete separately. It sees very little remontage, and only 1 racking. Lovely light tannin with some structure but still easy-drinking, with some wild bloodiness.
Producer: Mas Coutelou
Region: Languedoc, France
Grapes: Cinsault; Grenaches noir, gris, blanc; Muscats blanc, noir, petit grains; servant, clairette, macabeu and more!
Style: Red
Alc.: 13%
Size: 75cl bottle
Notes: MAGNUM Made from a parcel planted with different Languedoc varieties by Jeff’s late father; the fruit is macerated for 2 weeks and aged in concrete tanks. A wine of wonderful complexity and depth, but with an incredibly easy fruit-forward profile and elegant tannin.