Producers

Le MazelArdèche, France

Gérald Oustric is one of a certain generation of winemakers whom experienced a shared epiphany after meeting with Marcel Lapierre during the 80s. At the time he was working the family vineyards in Valvignères, a village in the south of the Ardèche, alongside his father. Each vintage all of the fruit was sold to the local co-operative. It was after this fateful meeting with Lapierre that Gerald realised there was another way to tend the vines and turn the resulting grapes into wine, and by the late 90s he had pulled out of the co-op, converted the domaine to certified organic and, in the wake of the infamous ‘gang of four’ that had inspired him, began to realise his vision of making wine with no additions at all. He joined forces with his sister Jocelyne, and Le Mazel was born.

Over 20 years later they now farm 19 hectares, with a portion leased out to any number of the other emergent winemakers in the region. Gérald is well-regarded for being the guiding force in helping many of these younger producers get set up by selling them grapes, loaning out vineyards, lending them equipment or letting them make their wine in his cellars. There is a healthy, collaborative spirit in the air around these parts but, ever-humble, Gérald's work is often seen after the likes of Anders Frederik Steen, Sylvain Bock, Daniel Sage and Andrea Calek, all of whom he has lent a helping hand to along the way. The wines themselves are vital, wild-edged and nourishing, and clearly speak of the mistralswept valley from which they hail. Mazel are notorious for embracing the annual variations that can occur when making wine without heavy manipulations or additions, and as such his staple of regular cuvées can express themselves completely diferently from year to year. Each vintage is a new part of a bigger story.

Le Mazel Wines

Le Mazel
Cuvée Briand 2018

Another lively, expressive, herbal red from the Mazel cellars. The fruit is all spicy black fruit, with a perfume full of wild fennel and clove. A wine that speaks of this wind-swept Ardèche valley. Find out more.

  • Region Valvignères, Ardèche, France
  • Grapes Grenache
  • Vineyard Organic
  • Cellar Fermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
£20.50

Quantity

Le Mazel
Cuvée Larmande 2018

Vital, high-energy Syrah a la Mazel, with plenty of vivid, herby fruit to the fore. The blackcurrant and black olive flavours entwine with a lick of piquant acidity. Find out more.

  • Region Valvignères, Ardèche, France
  • Grapes Syrah
  • Vineyard Organic
  • Cellar Fermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
£20.50

Quantity

Le Mazel
Cuvée Larmande 2021

Vital, high-energy Syrah a la Mazel. The blackcurrant and black olive flavours entwine to create something deeply savoury and saline. Find out more.

  • Region Valvignères, Ardèche, France
  • Grapes Syrah
  • Vineyard Organic
  • Cellar Fermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
£21.50

Quantity

Le Mazel
Cuvée Mias 2004

It's a real pleasure to be able to offer some very old vintages from Le Mazel, dating back to when the domaine was first set up in the early 2000s. This stunning Viognier has already seen at least 15 years in the bottle and serves as a fascinating example of Gérald Oustric's long-game approach. Find out more.

  • Region Valvignères, Ardèche, France
  • Grapes Viognier
  • Vineyard Organic
  • Cellar Fermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
£63.50

Quantity

Le Mazel
Cuvée Mias 2020

An off-dry Viognier that bursts with ripe orchard fruits and the merry dance between piquant acids and residual sugars. Bracing, uncompromising Ardéchois blanc. Find out more.

  • Region Valvignères, Ardèche, France
  • Grapes Viognier
  • Vineyard Organic
  • Cellar Fermented with native yeasts, unfiltered & unfined, no additional sulphites
£23

Quantity