IGP Monts de la Grage "Cuvée Souriez" 2021 - Kohki Iwata (WA Sud)

100% Syrah from the nearby Domaine des Soulié, vinified in Kokhi's cellar. A very fruity nose full of raspberries mixed with soft herbs. On the palate surprisingly fresh and soft. Here, this is incredibly interesting juice. Juicy in the best sense of the word. the word, without falling under terms like glou glou . Violets and eucalyptus with a slight cocoa association. Very well done.

Country / Region: France / Languedoc-Roussillon
Grape variety(ies): 100% Syrah
In the vineyard: 20 year old vines. Clay-limestone terroir. Organic farming
In the vineyard: Grapes completely destemmed before maceration. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel. 12 months maturation in old wooden barrels. Bottled on May 12, 2023. Unfiltered, 15ppm So2 added at the entonnage of the wine.
Quality mark: vin nature

The Japanese Kohki Iwata exchanged the Japanese Osaka for the southern French vineyards in 2008. After a few years of experience in vin nature bars in Osaka, he left for France to experience the winemaker aspect. He immediately started with various internships with famous winemakers such as Olivier Cousin (Anjou) and Jean Foillard (Beaujolais).

He then worked for four years from 2010 at le Caves Augé in Paris and in 2015 for Domaines des Soulié in Saint Chinian, a winery that has been fully organic since 1960 and that can fully support itself with green energy on an impressive 27 hectares. Impressive indeed.

Kohki settled with his wife in nearby Assignan, where he worked for a while at des Soulié but soon started making his own wine in 2016. Given the enormous surface of les Soulié he was able to buy his grapes there and with some financial help from a Japanese company the first vintage in 2017 was really there. Under the name WA Sud he knows how to create wines pur jus . Clean terroir wines with a high glou glou content. Low in quantity, high in quality. Only just started, but very promising. Rowing with the oars you have can work out very well.