Domaine de l’Octavin Vin de France Corvées de Trousseau 2013

Welcome to the pointy end of natural wine.

This Trousseau is instantly fascinating and divisive, all at once. The low alcohol (9%) dictates that this had to be bottled as a ‘vin de France’ rather than ‘Arbois’ as it doesn’t satisfy the requirements of the appellation (10% alc. minimum). Indeed Alice Bouvot and Charles Dagand of Domaine de l’Octavin are apparently leaving the appellation altogether now.

Anyway, this Jura red certainly looks the part – the colour is more rosé than red, with an almost milky cloudiness (no filtration here) in amongst the light ruby colours. In contrast, it smells fantastic – lovely lifted red
fruit, with just a little oxidation at the edges in an utterly ‘alive’ form.

After such excitement on the nose you’d have to call the palate less convincing – it’s just too light and fine boned to deal with the intrusion of oxidation. The exuberance of the high acid freshness gives this a real delicacy, making it quite drinkable, but I just found myself looking for more flavour. That red fruit is pure
beauty. But can you forgive the oxidation shading the fruit?

Nonetheless this is intriguing stuff. Challenging wine that chases an ideology, perhaps, but also brilliant in its own way.

Near impossible to rate, but well worth a try.

Detail: 9%, Cork, $65
Tasted: March 2015 at a tasting
Best drinking: 2015-2017 maybe longer if the fruit holds up. The acid ensures it will live forever.
Score: 16.5/20, 88/100
Would I buy it? I’d certainly buy a glass. Not sure how much more after that.
Buy online: Oak Barrel, Living Wines