Simon Coulshaw makes natural wines: no cultured yeast, enzymes, chemical tannins or fining product and farming with respect to the environment, although the domaine isn't certified organic. jancisrobinson.com Review: Full bottle 1,126 g. 65% Grenache Noir, 20% Syrah, 15% Carignan, organically and biodynamically farmed. Out of the 22 ha that Simon Coulshaw has under vine, 16 are in Faugère and 6 in Pézenas. But, as Coulshaw points out, they are more than 30 km from Pézenas, so while vineyards for the appellation are typically on villafranchian and clay-limestone soils or on black, grey and blue schist, this vineyard is on golden schist. (Coulshaw at this point goes into a charming rhapsody about how beguilingly beautiful schist is...) Le Pech Mege is a single vineyard, the most isolated of all his Pézenas vineyards. Spontaneous fermentation, stainless steel, low sulphite additions, minimal interventions. Coulshaw recommends that this wine is drunk cooler than room temperature. I'd pop it in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to get it down to around 16 °C/61 °F. “It's rare that a Languedoc wine (or any wine, to be frank) can pull off the tightrope balance of pert, outright cheeky freshness and straightforward fruit whilst being pretty dense and concentrated at the same time. This wine defies the laws of gravity. At its heart, there is a deep tobacco-leaf wrapped, chocolate-streaked, umeboshi-plum and soy-umami savouriness, notes of reduced beef stock and game glimmering in the gloaming. But radiating out towards the edges of the wine is this confident, gregarious, sap-filled mulberry fruit and puppy-playful acidity that seems to roll around with gleeful abandon. Supple, lightly astringent but fully ripe tannins. A wine of the vineyard, of the vintage; a wine that shines with a sense of who and what it is”. GV (TC) Alcohol 14% Score 17/20 When to drink 2022 – 2026 Published on 29 Nov 2021 Date tasted 29 Nov 2021 Reviewer Tamlyn Currin

A blend of Genache Blanc, Gris and Noir, from ancient 90 year old vines in the ancient and quite amazing 'C|os des Escounils' that the brothers are developing and working on re-establishing it's other potential vineyard areas. This is beautiful, racy, elegant wine that is softly textured and very ‘modern’ in its freshness and balance.

Carignan 85% Grenache Noir 15% The old vine Carignan delivers bags of bramble and spice. Deep and rich in texture - a classic Languedoc wine in a refined style.

This Chenin Noir is aromatic and floral with rosehip and hibiscus leading to sweet, ripe young strawberries. It's richer than the other Lampyres wines, and needs a bit of breathing/decanting time to show its full wares. Nice tension and with a fresh, gently peppery finish. Serve cool. Outstanding from the superb talent that is 'FX'.

Natural, biodynamic and vegan. Grenache, Carignan and Mourvedre from 80 year old vines, Made without filtering or fining. Pale but gorgeous mid red colour. At first on the nose, you are like "What even is that?". Whatever it is, you know that you like it. Elegant, subtle fruit is intermixed with gentle herb, earth and savoury charachters. Deep and wonderful. On the palate the wine is elegant and deep again, but not heavy in the slightest. Ruffled fruit and savoury notes with minerality and real finesse. These wines are like no other from the Roussillon. Outstanding. Magnum sized.

This beautiful Margot 2022 (named after FX's little girl, Margot) is utterly divine modern, natural Roussillon Rose. The make up in this organic wine is 50% old vine Grenache Noir (grown on schist) seeing whole bunch and maceration on skins for 7 days and 50% direct press Carignan Noir (grown on clay). The naturally fermented juices are blended after malolactic fermentation. Tank aged for five months. A very low dose of sulphites at bottling. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Coming in at a delightful 11.5% alcohol. A beautiful label drawn in school by young Margot also!

70 % Sangiovese, 30% Syrah, is amongst the very best in the Languedoc. Intense color, pretty aromas of white flowers. With a nice roundness, this wine will accompany your grilled fish, garnished summer salads, crustaceans etc.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX' worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. The deepest, and juiciest of FX’s white wines. This cuvee comes from an absolutely beautiful schist vineyard planted 80 years ago. Like many ancient Roussillon vineyards it is co-planted with Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Grenache Noir and Macabeu. Back in the day farmers would plant in such a way to hedge their bets that they would at least have some grapes at harvest time. The grapes were picked by hand then crushed, pressed and fermentation took place in cuve. It was then aged in cuve for 8 months. 2g/hl sulphites added prior to bottling.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX' worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. This wine is making its debut in 2022 vintage. It’s one hundred percent Malvoisie grown on schiste on a bed of argilo calcaire that sees skin macération for seven days then wild fermentation in cuve and then aged in small sandstone eggs (3hl) for eight months. Just before bottling 2g/hl of sulphites is added. Proper, deep orange wine. One for the ages.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX' worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. One hundred percent eighty year old vine Carignan Noir. Macerated for seven days then whole bunch fermentation took place. The wine was bred in aged in 6 hl barrels for eight months. Just 2g/hl sulphites added just before bottling.

Natural, Organic, Biodynamic Macabeu, fermented and aged in barrels, racy and minerally with soft texture and generous fruit.

Carignan, Grenache, Syrah. Lifted, natural, fresh and charming tasting Southern French red wine of great character. We loved this.

From Yves Falmet: My ‘L'ivresse des Cimes’ label is made from grapes grown on the steepest plots in my vineyard, located right at the top of the hillside. My best expression each year of 'Saint-Chinian'.

Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Marsanne and Roussanne. Lovely lifted floral fruit, gorgeous texture and lovely freshness. We loved this.

Very rare indeed. A tiny amount for the UK. Ubuntu is organically grown 80% Grenache Gris and 20% Grenache Noir from schist soil over a bed of clay-limestone that sees skin macération and whole bunch fermentation for seven days. This fermenting juice is transferred and left to breed in amphora for five months. Bottled with a very low dose of sulphites, unfined and unfiltered. Amazing tension. This feels like a "light red wine" to us (albeit one with tension and real interest), so that's what we have called it. Amazing, and in limited quantities.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX' worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. One hundred percent thirty year old vine Syrah on red clay. Eight days skin macération whole bunch. Fermentation in stainless steel and aged seven months in a single 20 hl foudre. 2g/hl sulphites added just before bottling. This is like a fine, gentle Crozes-hermitage with wild notes and tangy blueberry fruit. Very smart and stylish wine from young FX.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX' worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. Ninety percent Syrah (thirty years old) and ten percent Carignan (eighty years old) on schist terroir. Skin macération for seven days followed by whole-bunch fermentation in cuve and then bred in a 10hl Amphora for eight months. Just 2g/hl sulphites added just before bottling.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX'. FX was vineyard manager for Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines. Whole bunch fermentation in stainless-steel tanks for 5 days for this beautiful Mourvedre from very old wines. On the morning of the 6th day the grapes were pressed, and the juice transferred back to stainless-steel tanks to complete fermentation. Only the naturally occurring indigenous yeasts were used in the fermentation. The wine was then aged 5 months in tank. Prior to bottling a very low dose of sulphites was added. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Vivid, bright and wild wine.

100% Carignan from 80 year old vines. Complex floral aromas. On the palate the fruits, such as raspberry and morello cherry, are crunchy and fresh. There is also a very strong stony/mineral feeling. The finish is long and pure. A vibrant wine.

Glorious old vine Mourvedre from the wonderful Yves Falmet (who is as vegan as his wines). Yves has a single, steep vineyard of old vine varieties planted in southern Saint-Chinian. Mourvedre cannot be used 100% and be called Saint Chinian, so this is a Vin de France. Silky, fine and long, with vibrant fruit, great balance and perfect ripeness. An amazing value wine.

"Intense with a luminous ruby colour and garnet nuances, the nose reveals elegant notes of ripe black fruits and fresh red fruits, notes of black cherries and raspberry. Complex spicy notes and fine mineral smoky touches, a light and elegant infusion at low temperature. The palate is soft and light, the fruity and gourmet flavours dominate. Mineral and smoky touches bring freshness and highlight beautiful tender and perfectly integrated tannins. The result is balanced with a persistent long finish. " Dominique Laporte, Meilleur Sommelier de France, Meilleur Ouvrier de France Sommelier De-stemmed harvest - Natural vinification without the addition of sulphur - Very light extraction - Infusion, at low temperature - 15 days maceration before pressing - Only the free-run juice is kept. Soil type: Gneiss. The Commune: Cassagnes, Roussillon Aged in concrete eggs for 9 months.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX'. FX worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. Dom. des Lampyres Luminescence 2022 Vin de France 11% alc Skin macération Muscat Petit Grain 70% (on terroir clay limestone) and 30% Muscat d’Alexandrie (terroir clay) . The two parcels were fermented separately with their wild, indigenous yeasts. There was 15 days skin maceration whole bunch for the Muscat a Petit Grain and 20 days whole bunch for the Muscat d’Alexandrie. The Muscat a Petit Grain was aged in cuve for nine months and the Muscat d’Alexandrie was aged for seven months in 10hl Amphora. Juices blended one month before bottling. 2g/hl sulphites added prior to bottling. One of the finest maceration wines of the Roussillon. The 2022 slightly lusher than the 2021. Absolutely awesome wine.

100% old vine Carignan that was bred all in concrete tanks. Notes of leather, black cherries, plums and savoury herbs all emerge from this medium-bodied, fresh, lively wine. This is seamless and gorgeous stuff from Daniel Laffite. It would cost twice the price if it was from Priorat.

After the spring frost affected 2021 (see grapes blended with Roussanne, Grenache and Syrah to produce ‘Le Duc’), Simon didn’t only lose a large percentage of fruit that year, he lost approximately 20% of the Viognier vines! Just when you thought this man's luck couldn’t get any worse! But the L’Invite 2022 displays more of the richer and classic Viognier characters than is usual from this extraordinarily high and stunning terroir of schist with large pebbles of basalt mixed in. These characters marry well with the awesome minerality this site constantly shows. An absolute stunner.

100% Muscat d'Alexandre, fermented on skins (orange). Fermented dry, jasmine tea, crystallised fruit. A real one-off and hugely in-demand. 2023 is super thrilling stuff. A sensational SuperNova!

This Roboul cuvée exudes lifted fruit aromas in abundance with blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates and also gentle garrigue notes. On the palate it is velvety with curious, beautiful interest. There is a perfect balance between alcohol and acidity and it ends with a striking freshness. It's a marvelous wee wine. Full bottle 1,341 g. Single vineyard. 60% Mourvèdre (20 years old), 40% Grenache (30 years old) on pudding stone, clay, sand and limestone tuffeau. Hand-picked; whole-bunch, spontaneous fermentation; minimal cap work; very gently pressed. Fermented separately because the Mourvèdre ripens so much later than the Grenache. 12 months in old oak barrels of 600, 500 and 400 litres. "If I’d not known what this wine was, and put it to my nose, my first guess would be Pinot Noir, Tasmania. Rosehips. Nectarine skin. Hibiscus tea. Morels. Then, after tasting it, I’d change my mind. I’d wonder if this was Cinsault, one of Alex Milner’s wraith-like beauties, perhaps: the bruised rose petals, the jasmine tea, the taste of prickly pears and dust and pungent-peppery-green at the back of my throat. Then I smell garrigue - cistus, broom heather, wild thyme, the smell of the wind blowing through holm oaks and twisted pines and I am in the south of France. This is the fey child of Roussillon. This is a wine that dances in the thin places". Very Good Value. Tamlyn Currin on jancisrobinson.com 18/20 jancisrobinson.com

This Roboul cuvée exudes lifted fruit aromas in abundance with blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates and also gentle garrigue notes. On the palate it is velvety with curious, beautiful interest. There is a perfect balance between alcohol and acidity and it ends with a striking freshness. It's a marvelous wee wine. Full bottle 1,341 g. Single vineyard. 60% Mourvèdre (20 years old), 40% Grenache (30 years old) on pudding stone, clay, sand and limestone tuffeau. Hand-picked; whole-bunch, spontaneous fermentation; minimal cap work; very gently pressed. Fermented separately because the Mourvèdre ripens so much later than the Grenache. 12 months in old oak barrels of 600, 500 and 400 litres. "If I’d not known what this wine was, and put it to my nose, my first guess would be Pinot Noir, Tasmania. Rosehips. Nectarine skin. Hibiscus tea. Morels. Then, after tasting it, I’d change my mind. I’d wonder if this was Cinsault, one of Alex Milner’s wraith-like beauties, perhaps: the bruised rose petals, the jasmine tea, the taste of prickly pears and dust and pungent-peppery-green at the back of my throat. Then I smell garrigue - cistus, broom heather, wild thyme, the smell of the wind blowing through holm oaks and twisted pines and I am in the south of France. This is the fey child of Roussillon. This is a wine that dances in the thin places". Very Good Value. Tamlyn Currin on jancisrobinson.com 18/20 jancisrobinson.com

This Roboul cuvée exudes lifted fruit aromas in abundance with blackberries, blueberries, pomegranates and also gentle garrigue notes. On the palate it is velvety with curious, beautiful interest. There is a perfect balance between alcohol and acidity and it ends with a striking freshness. It's a marvelous wee wine. Full bottle 1,341 g. Single vineyard. 60% Mourvèdre (20 years old), 40% Grenache (30 years old) on pudding stone, clay, sand and limestone tuffeau. Hand-picked; whole-bunch, spontaneous fermentation; minimal cap work; very gently pressed. Fermented separately because the Mourvèdre ripens so much later than the Grenache. 12 months in old oak barrels of 600, 500 and 400 litres. "If I’d not known what this wine was, and put it to my nose, my first guess would be Pinot Noir, Tasmania. Rosehips. Nectarine skin. Hibiscus tea. Morels. Then, after tasting it, I’d change my mind. I’d wonder if this was Cinsault, one of Alex Milner’s wraith-like beauties, perhaps: the bruised rose petals, the jasmine tea, the taste of prickly pears and dust and pungent-peppery-green at the back of my throat. Then I smell garrigue - cistus, broom heather, wild thyme, the smell of the wind blowing through holm oaks and twisted pines and I am in the south of France. This is the fey child of Roussillon. This is a wine that dances in the thin places". Very Good Value. Tamlyn Currin on jancisrobinson.com 18/20 jancisrobinson.com

This Syrah blend with soft black fruits and spice has been shaped by the sunbaked rocky soils of the unmistakable and very definate Faugeres terroir. A herbal, spicy bouquet is followed by youthful red cherries and supple mineral character derived from the schist rich soils. One of our greatest value wines.

Natural, organic Macabeu from a beautiful vineyard in Calce, Roussillon blended 50/50 with Chenin Blanc from Aveyron in central France! The Chenin Blanc is from Vincent's friends at Coultades du Coustoubi. The '78' moniker comes from both postcodes being added together - 66 for Roussillon and 12 for Aveyron. The blend makes for a wine of great character with a precise, floral nose, a good body that has great tension with fine acidity. Really interesting and ultimately, hugely satisfying wine. Vincent Carreras has been working in wine industry for 13 years. For nine years he worked for a winery in the south of the Roussillon, Andy Cook’s Mas Cristine and Coume del Mas. Working in the vineyard, cellar and commercial activities - the whole shebang! For four years now he has been employed by a family winery based in Maury - Clos des Vins d'Amour. Who work 25 hectares organically in the west of Roussillon. Mostly in commercial activities, but also working in the cellar. Alongside this, in 2016, Vincent started a new project - Domaine Odyssée. The 3.5ha of vineyards are in Calce and Baixas, in a heart of Roussillon. The sites are small, but unquestionably some of the most beautiful we have seen. Vincent draws on the experiences mentioned above and his time in New Zealand (2011), Argentina (2012) and Bordeaux 2011 to help fully realise what he has there in his exceptional terroir. Vincent works organically, using no weedkillers, no chemical products. He works by hand and with organic fertilizer (he is in conversion right now). He harvests his parcels by himself with friends and family. In the cellar, Vincent’s philosophy is a minimum of intervention "To keep the fruit and the terroir.". The wines are extracted gently with just a little pump over. No filtration, no fining. The only preservative is a little dose of sulphites in very low quantities at bottling "It is important for me the stabilise the wine in respect of the future customers".

This beautiful Margot 2023 (named after FX's little girl, Margot) is utterly divine modern, natural Roussillon Rose. The make up in this organic wine is 50% old vine Grenache Noir (grown on schist) seeing whole bunch and maceration on skins for 7 days and 50% direct press Carignan Noir (grown on clay). The naturally fermented juices are blended after malolactic fermentation. Tank aged for five months. A very low dose of sulphites at bottling. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. Coming in at a delightful 11.5% alcohol. A beautiful label drawn in school by young Margot also!

‘La Minuette’ blended rosé comes from La Livinière limestone terroir. Its pale colour and floral bouquet represent the ‘Minuette’ variety of rose planted in Kenya by Tim Ford in 1982, during his 25 years of rose production in Africa. A nod to both the past and the future, ‘La Minuette’ exemplifies estate values of tradition and modernity. Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault from outstanding organic Minervois La Livinière vineyards. A lychee-tinged colour evokes a very Provençal style. On the nose, finesse and elegance dominate, offering a refined aromatic bouquet. Notes of fresh grapefruit and tart raspberries blend harmoniously with vine peach, while cherry blossom adds a delicate floral touch. On the palate, the wine is gourmand, with flavours of strawberry and raspberry supported by fresh notes of clementine and bergamot zest. The texture is crisp and tangy, balanced by a light minerality on the finish. Really outstanding for the cash.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX' worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. Syrah 85% Muscat d'Alexandrie 15%

Made by Simon Coulshaw of the minimal-intervention school. Biodynamic farming although not certified. 100% Roussanne planted on their highest vineyards, a steep north-facing slope in the foothills of the Cévennes mountains. Isolated vineyards surrounded by herbaceous shrub and woodland on schist and basalt boulders. Hand-picked at 20-25 hl/ha, Five days' on skins then 48 hours of cold settling before racking. Spontaneous fermentation, no enzymes, no fining, minimal sulphur and sulphites. Carbon dioxide nap used to avoid oxidation.

Made by Simon Coulshaw of the minimal-intervention school. Biodynamic farming although not certified. 100% Roussanne planted on their highest vineyards, a steep north-facing slope in the foothills of the Cévennes mountains. Isolated vineyards surrounded by herbaceous shrub and woodland on schist and basalt boulders. Hand-picked at 20-25 hl/ha, Five days' on skins then 48 hours of cold settling before racking. Spontaneous fermentation, no enzymes, no fining, minimal sulphur and sulphites. Carbon dioxide nap used to avoid oxidation.

It's here, the 'Coulsh-Rotie". Simon "The Coulsh'" Coulshaw's fabulous take on this iconic wine. "I put this glass of wine to my nose, and had I not been firmly anchored to a chair, would have taken five steps back. The aroma swept me off my feet. Indescribable. Wild. One Thousand and One Nights distilled into a glass. Heady and exotic and riddled with rose petals and spice and coiled with riddles and one sniff of this is poetry and myth and folklore and kitchen table and campfire and someone's cigarette stubbed out at 3 am in lonely finality. Garrigue-spiced aromatics spiral through rock, plant, seed, flower with dazzling complexity. One moment it's rose petals, so delicate you could brush a baby's lips with it; the next it's hot tar, underground angry, rocks shifting deep in the cracks of the earth. This is a velvety, cocoa-dusted, amped-up-then-restrained, dark-horse beauty. Vertical, dark, slub-silk fruit with overtones of tamari and dark chocolate, crushed coffee beans and sweet forest-floor earth. Long and the kind of wine that coils around you slowly, sinuously, sensuously. Worth every penny. You'd pay three times this for a Rhône of this stature". (TC) 18/20 jancisrobinson.com When to drink 2023 - 2035 Published on 29 Nov 2021 Date tasted 29 Nov 2021

A 'Vin Gris' from a very old co-planted vineyard of all three Grenache's. Wonderful stuff. 60 magnums only.

Point Triple 2022 is a blend of co-fermented whole bunch Macabeu (schist) and Grenache Blanc (clay) seeing seven days skin macération together. After breeding, a portion of Muscat a Petit Grain (clay-limestone) that sees skin macération and whole bunch fermentation for twenty days, is blended with the other portion one month before bottling. This delightful, wild fermented, textural, insanely bright but savoury maceration wine comes in at a digestible 11% abv. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, with a very low dose of sulphites.

Francois Xavier AKA 'FX'. FX worked with Tom Lubbe at Domaine Matassa for five years. He spent a further year with Domaine Danjou-Banessy. After such time this local lad set up in Espira to make his own wholly exciting wines which we are introducing the UK for the first time. Dom. des Lampyres Luminescence 2023 Vin de France 11% alc Skin macération Muscat Petit Grain 70% (on terroir clay limestone) and 30% Muscat d’Alexandrie (terroir clay) . The two parcels were fermented separately with their wild, indigenous yeasts. There was 15 days skin maceration whole bunch for the Muscat a Petit Grain and 20 days whole bunch for the Muscat d’Alexandrie. The Muscat a Petit Grain was aged in cuve for nine months and the Muscat d’Alexandrie was aged for seven months in 10hl Amphora. Juices blended one month before bottling. 2g/hl sulphites added prior to bottling. One of the finest maceration wines of the Roussillon. The 2022 slightly lusher than the 2021. Absolutely awesome wine.

Natural, biodynamic and vegan. Grenache, Carignan and Mourvedre from 80 year old vines, Made without filtering or fining. Pale but gorgeous mid red colour. At first on the nose, you are like "What even is that?". Whatever it is, you know that you like it. Elegant, subtle fruit is intermixed with gentle herb, earth and savoury characters. Deep and wonderful. On the palate the wine is elegant and deep again, but not heavy in the slightest. Ruffled fruit and savoury notes with minerality and real finesse. These wines are like no other from the Roussillon. Outstanding.