Domaine Rimbert Cousin Oscar

Domaine Rimbert's Cousin Oscar is a wonder of bright red and black fruit, plum skin, crushable juice. Old vines above fifty years, whole-cluster carbonic or a short three-day maceration, spontaneous fermentation, tank only, minimal sulfur.

Jean-Marie Rimbert came from Provence, managed the vineyards at Château de Flaugergues for five years, then bought his first parcels of ancient schist-grown Carignan in Berlou — the highest village in the Saint-Chinian AOC and the only part of the region with schist soils. After forty-plus years he still calls himself a paysan. Rimbert built the label from 1950s magazine clippings and named the wine after his girlfriend's cousin, apparently irresistible to the ladies. Drink it lightly chilled.