Mas COUTELOU

The 14 ha vineyard north of Béziers presents varied terroirs with a dominant clay-limestone. Jean-François Coutelou's vineyard is planted with typical Languedoc grape varieties for red wines and a small plot co-planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanc and Muscat petits grains. Mas Coutelou produces about ten cuvées with still a few old vintages at soft, gentle prices. What is remarkable at Mas Coutelou is the precocity of the ecological approach. We cannot therefore speak here of the influence of the "organic" fashion but truly of an awareness or simply to reconnect with the working methods of the Ancients. Jean-François (Jeff' ) is a passionate enthusiast and spends hours in his vineyards.

In fact, the vineyard management is rigorous with frequent ploughing, severe pruning, etc... to obtain very limited yields (between 20 and 40 hl/ha) for a Winery from this region. The vinification with indigenous yeasts is without sulphur (or very limited) and the classic operations are adapted according to the vintage and the Grape variety : short or long maceration, traditional or carbonic, punching down or pumping over. Everything is done in strong correlation with the raw material. The stakes are gentle without filtration and by gravity.