Julien Pineau, "Coup D'Jus" 2018

100% Cot (or Malbec as those in the Loire call it) from the coy and skillful Julien Pineau. Julien is in Touraine, where he started with his own vines in 2015, after training with Lise and Bertrand Jousset in nearby Montlouis and Laurent Saillard. Julien's vines are ploughed by horse and are carefully tended to with biodynamic principles. The Côt for this wine comes from 120(!) year-old vines which yield very little fruit, but extraordinary concentration. 2018 was a difficult vintage all round in the Loire, but the grapes that Julien was able to harvest have a tenacity and tannic edge that you don't find in more supple Malbecs from Cahors or the Southwest. This is a serious wine with just a hint of natty, but we recommend enjoying it with a bit of char, whether veggies or meat, to complement its Dark Side of the Moon complexion.