An Unusual Grape, An Unusual Wine

Here's a wine made from an under-the-radar grape, Cabernet Cortis. The 2024 Pierre & Antonin Petit Sauvage is a Vin de France wine from the Languedoc-Roussillon region in the south of France. It is touted on the label as "résistant et naturel." The Cabernet Cortis grapes grow on vines resistant to disease. The grape was bred in 1982 in Germany for that purpose. The wine is made with no intervention or additions. The winery says it is "wine in its purest form." Alcohol sits at 13% abv and it sells in a lot of places for less than $20.

This wine is dark in the glass, with light barely getting through. The nose is dark as well, and when I sniffed it I got a blast of Cassis. The black currant and black berry aromas are forceful and a bit funky. Earth, tar, and cigars also play into the profile. The palate keeps the darkness rolling. The black fruit and forest floor are as brooding as one could wish. And the tannins …they are alive and well. Big acidity adds to the tingling mouthfeel. I've seen other reviewers say that this wine is not everyone's cup, but those who shy away from it must not enjoy an adventure, because that's what this wine is. 

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