Simon Busser A Bras le Côt 19/21

Simon Busser is mostly known for his rather traditional Cahors reds. But 2021 was a very unusual year and called for some improvisation. A cool and rainy summer led to serious problems with mildew, so serious in fact that Simon lost nearly 90% of his harvest. The grapes that he was able to save were unevenly ripe and fragile. Intuitively, Simon drew on his old experiences in the Loire with Olivier Cousin, opting to vinify his Côt in a semi-carbonic whole-cluster style. A lover of rich and extracted reds, Simon was somewhat underwhelmed with the initial result: low alcohol, mild tannins, and vegetal fruit. A late-night session last summer resulted in a brilliant intervention. The 2021 Côt was blended with a small amount of 2019 with polar opposite qualities. This multi-year Côt is unlike anything Simon has ever made: fresh, juicy, and ideally served cold, it reminds me of the first-wave natural wines from Anjou that became emblematic of the category two decades ago. We love this wine and hope you will too. (source: Percy Selection)