Closeries des Moussis ‘Bargane’ Haut-Médoc Rouge 2020

Location: France, Bordeaux, Haut-Médoc

Winemaker: Pascale Choime and Laurence Alias

Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Carmenere, Saint Macaire, Castets, Cabernet Goudable

Soil: Sandy gravel

Winemaking: Native yeast fermentation. De-stemmed, Elevage in oak casks for 16 months. Total SO2: 25 mg/L.

From the Importer Jeffrey Alpert Selections: Closeries des Moussis began in 2009 when Pascale Choime and Laurence Alias were offered to take over a historic 0.4ha plot of pre-phylloxeric vines in Cantenac (a stone’s throw from Margaux) from Michel and Stéphanie Théron of Clos du Jaugueyron. These two women couldn’t refuse such an opportunity: Pascale is a trained oenologist and teacher at the Lycée Agro-Viticole de Bordeaux-Blanquefort, and Laurence is a professional agricultural engineer who specializes in biodiversity and sustainable practices. The two of them got to work straight away and produced their first vintage that very same year.

They have very slowly added to their holdings, having acquired a hectare in Sénéjac back 2011, as well as a tiny plot in Margaux more recently, totaling their holdings to two hectares in all. They received organic certification in 2012, and were later confirmed by Demeter in 2015. All of their vineyard work is done by hand with the assistance of their horse Jumpa. Pascale and Laurence’s union have produced exquisite wines that achieve a vitality and freshness quite rare in Bordeaux. Closeries des Moussis is certified organic (AB) as well as certified biodynamic.