Back in Puimisson and all the better for being there. After travelling around vineyards and cellars in the Grand Est it was a relief to be in one place and reacquaint myself with the Coutelou domaine. The familiar and the new, people, wines and vineyards.

Exciting news came quickly as Flora, Jeff’s niece, is now working full time as his assistant. Exciting because the domaine is being tended by the Coutelou family, now and into the future. Flora has been working with Jeff for a couple of years, learning the role of the winemaker in the cellar and vineyard. Jeff is very happy with Flora’s role, I am delighted.

Gilles is still around, working mainly in the vines, driving the tractor and other specialist jobs. New to the scene is a lovely young couple in Ines and Jérôme, experienced in the cellar and vineyard and hoping to establish their own vineyard at some point.

My arrival was well timed, with a bit of manoeuvring by Jeff. He had told me bottling (la mise) was taking place in the week, wines such as Classe, Buvette À Paulette, Flambadou* and La Vigne Haute. Summer means the wines have been in tank for a good time and ready for bottle and as autumn approaches those tanks will be needed again. Jeff left La Vigne Haute to last so that I could be there, knowing it is my absolute favourite wine. It’s a familiar process after all these years, described in detail here. I was able to taste the four wines bottled and the signs are very good for the 22 wines, Classe was a joy but La Vigne Haute did steal the show, I believe that Jeff did utter the words “best ever” though he’d probably deny it! The remaining wine is taken out of tank and will be blended with other wine, magnums had already been made with the hand operated machine.

A few days later I was back as Jeff was tidying up some of the barrels. Some needed to be topped up (ouillage) with wine kept for that purpose in smaller containers. A barrel of fortified alcohol, was put into a steel tank to use in making some of the spirits and fortified wines which are now part of Vins et Spiritueux Coutelou, the proper name for the domaine these days.

As usual I am taken aback by the complexity of what wine is in what container. I know Jeff keeps spreadsheets with the details but in a flash he can tell you what is in each tank, barrel or other container. There are dozens of such containers, and Jeff is always thinking of how he can use some of the wines to show them at their best individually or to meet commercial needs.

There are always new wines, more in a future post as we tasted through the 22 range. There is also consistent change in the vineyards, more in the next post.

*In a recent tasting of Languedoc wines by a panel of experts Flambadou 2007 and 2017 both emerged with flying colours and praise, for the quality and for their longevity.