2021 "Solis" Malbec, Cahors AOC, France

Cosse et Maisonneuve wines are not the norm for Cahors. The wines are full of fruit, but they are uncommonly elegant and round for Cahors, not at all the old-school rustic style that people often associate with the typical style of Malbecs from the area. Black fruit notes of a Malbec from Argentina but with an additional layer of complexity from a touch of earthiness. Through precise and accurate winemaking, Cosse et Maisonneuve yield elegant, smooth, and aerial wines that truly express the terroir and that have incredible aging potential.

Created in 1999, Domaine Cosse et Maisonneuve is the result of the combination of two talented oenologists and winemakers: Matthieu Cosse and Catherine Maisonneuve. Matthieu (winemaker) is a graduate of the Institute of Enology in Bordeaux, and Catherine (oenologist) holds a BTS viticulture and oenology in Blanquefort.

15 years ago, they took over a 5 hectare estate in Prayssac, a short distance from Cahors, planted with old vines of Malbec and set out to make wines that are the antithesis of the rustic image of Cahors. Their very first vintage was a cuvée called Les Laquets, but they quickly expanded the range of their wines, creating separate cuvées to reflect the identity of the different terroirs of the estate.

Today, their estate totals 17 hectares of vines planted predominantly with Malbec although there is a small amount of Merlot and Tannat. Their plots are situated in the optimal locations to produce the best Cahors – predominantly on the gravel and clay third terrace above the Lot river.

They are certified organic by Ecocert although they farm their vineyards biodynamically and plan to become cerified by Demeter. Everything they do in the vineyard is done with the aim of attaining balanced soils which produce the best ripening conditions for the grapes in order to make harmonious, aromatically complex and precise wines. They consider that wine is the ambassador of a terroir, and a winemaker is the interpreter, thus to obtain perfect grapes that will clearly express the qualities of the Cahors terroir, everything in the vineyard must be natural.