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2023 Cahors
Clos La Coutale
Last year, my family purchased a quarter cow share from our local farm, returning home with a variety of cuts, mostly ground beef and chuck. We got enough ribeyes and New York strips to have a steak night once a month or so, which always feels like a special occasion. For steak night wine pairings, we’ve opened red Burgundy, Saint-Joseph, Bandol, Chianti Classico, and this Cahors, which holds its own among these celebrated appellations. The 2023 vintage has a slightly wild streak, which goes perfectly with a medium-rare ribeye and roast rosemary potatoes. Of course, I can think of plenty of pairings beyond red meat: cassoulet, vegetable stew, quesadillas—the list goes on.
—Tom Wolf
| Wine Type: | red |
| Vintage: | 2023 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | 80% Malbec, 20% Merlot |
| Appellation: | Cahors |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Southwest |
| Producer: | Clos La Coutale |
| Winemaker: | Philippe Bernède |
| Vineyard: | 60 ha |
| Soil: | Gravel, limestone, clay |
| Aging: | Aged in foudres and 1-2 years old Bordeaux barrels for one year |
| Farming: | Traditional |
| Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2023 Cahors
France | Southwest
April Club Gourmand ~ La Grave is one of the rare Cahors to consist exclusively of the native Malbec. Without any Merlot to soften it, this Cahors is decidedly old-fashioned.
2021 Irouléguy Rouge “Cuvée Haitza”
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A black wine made from steep inclines planted to Tannat and some Cabernet Sauvignon, it demands patience while its dense, mouth-coating tannins slowly release their clutching grip.
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About The Producer
Clos La Coutale
Today, Cahors’ jack-of-all-trades and Renaissance man, Philippe Bernède, continues the family tradition with both heart and ingenuity. Philippe’s vines rest upon the gentle slopes that rise up from the Lot River. Over the years, Philippe has tinkered with the house blend to achieve a greater equilibrium. Today, the blend consists of 80% Malbec and 20% Merlot, creating an intense wine that juggles elegant rusticity with everyday drinkability. Coutale has quite a record of age-worthiness as well and Philippe is not afraid to pull out older vintages of his wines alongside much more expensive Bordeaux. They stand up pretty well! Nothing beats bécasse (woodcock) or cassoulet with an old Coutale, but a simple steak fits the bill just fine.
About The Region
Southwest
Tucked away beneath Bordeaux and buffeted by the Pyrenees to the south, this expansive region of France, commonly known as the Southwest, is home to a diverse number of viticulture and gastronomic traditions as well as cultures. Though Cahors might be the most well known (and easiest to pronounce) appellation from the Southwest, the importance and influence of French Basque culture cannot be underestimated. Irouléguy, the primary appellation of the Basque region of France produces full-bodied, hearty red wines, produced from Tannat grape (known for its tannic qualities). Dry whites from Irouléguy are also produced from Petit and Gros Manseng. Northeast of Irouléguy is the sweet wine-producing appellation of Jurançon. These moelleux wines made from Petit and Gros Manseng have a storied history in France, from being the first wine region to have a vineyard classification, which dates back to the 154th century, to being preferred wine of royalty dating back to the 16th century as well as the French poet Colette.
More from Southwest or France
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6-Bottle Sampler France
Sampler Includes:
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2021 Côtes du Vivarais Rouge • Domaine Gallety $34
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2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Sagesse” • Domaine Gramenon $47
You rarely find this kind of full flavor, succulence, and savoriness on such a graceful and lively frame. Biodynamic farming and 70-year-old vines are no doubt two factors behind the finesse on display, but it also might just come down to the fact that the Laurents are some of France’s winemaking geniuses.
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “Doucinello” • Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux $42
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2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong” • Famille Brunier $84
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Normally $270.00
SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $199.00
(a 25% discount)
2022 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru “Les Fichots”
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La Sœur Cadette France | Burgundy
2021 Irouléguy Rouge “Cuvée Haitza”
Maison Arretxea France | Southwest
NV Champagne Extra Brut 1er Cru “Platine”
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Grenache: The Ambassador of Terroir
What ties the wines in this sampler together is the quintessentially “earthbound” quality of the grape
2022 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru “Les Fichots”
Domaine Follin-Arbelet France | Burgundy
2023 Cahors
Château La Grave France | Southwest
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.