L'Ostal Levant "Vendredi" Côt 2022 Spain

L'Ostal Levant "Vendredi" Côt 2022 SpainA beautiful old vines rendering of the much maligned Malbec from its spiritual birthplace in the Southwest region of France, where it goes by Ct. Charlotte and Louis Prot make wilder, old school versions of the variety, however, not versions that are blown out by weight and oak; there's dark blue and wild berry black fruit here, to be sure, but immense elegance and the beautiful purple flowers on the nose one hopes to find in this region. 'Vendredi'

It spent one year in stainless steel in cold temperatures until bottling

a hallmark of Lassaigne's wines

Dries Van Noten's verdant garden and home

gentle “infusion” style

Rick Owens's radical Paris apartment

seasonal ingredients to be found in America

This is a great bottle to introduce you to one of the charming underdog varieties of the Loire Valley

There's powerful limestone terroir here

and toffee

nearly floral but more so herbal and earthy

" or waiting on your friends to arrive

is grown on chalk and gravel ('kalk' and 'kiesel')