“Le Petit Oursan” Rouge, Vin de France

In 2015, Jean-Paul acquired some acreage outside the town of Joncquières, about 10 kilometers northeast of Châteauneuf-du-Pape en route to the Plan de Dieu. In addition to a small planting of Clairette, the vineyard consists of 1.8 hectares of Grenache, 0.6 hectares of Syrah, and 1.3 hectares of Merlot, planted between 25 and 35 years ago. This is a relatively cool terroir compared to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with soils of gravelly clay, and Jean-Paul uses these vines as the basis of his “Le Petit Oursan”—a play on both the word “ours” (“bear” in French) and his family name. Comprising 75% steel-tank-raised fruit from these Joncquières holdings and 25% de-classified Châteauneuf-du-Pape vinified and aged in cement, this cuvée shows excellent freshness, and a strong local flair despite the presence of some Merlot. It’s very much a Bois de Boursan wine, too, in its combination of lifted red fruits and charmingly earth-tinged rusticity. The final blend comprises roughly 45% Grenache, 40% Merlot, and 15% Syrah.