Philippe Bernède is a man of many talents. The proprietor of Clos La Coutale, in Cahors, is more than a simple winemaker: when not preoccupied with his vigneron duties, Philippe is an accomplished inventor with a number of revolutionary creations under his belt. His main claim to fame is undoubtedly an ultra-practical, easy-to-use remodel of the double-lever corkscrew, christened the Coutale. Most recently, Philippe patented a mandoline intelligently designed to prevent any risk of injury—a must-have for the home cook wishing to avoid serving guests bits of sliced finger.
      In addition to his creations, Philippe enjoys aviation—he is a licensed pilot with his own little aircraft. A humble man with his feet firmly rooted on the ground, he can also be found zipping across the skies to the next tasting, cases of Cahors in the cargo bin.
      But Philippe is a vigneron above all else, and he takes unrivaled pleasure in crafting deep, spicy wines from his Cahors estate. His red is a longtime staple of our portfolio, consistently delivering soulful flavors of Southwest France at bargain cost. A palate-staining, inky purple elixir with heady scents of smoky black fruits, this Cahors somehow possesses incredibly smooth, caressing structure. Could it be thanks to Philippe’s patented punchdown machine, which assists in a gentle mechanical extraction of aromas and tannin? We can’t say for sure, but we do know that this remains one of the finest value reds in all of France. For anybody interested in the full Philippe Bernède experience, Coutale corkscrews are sold separately.