Le Mazel
Gerald & Jocelyne Oustric
(Ardeche, France)

Jocelyne and Gerald Oustric are pioneering winemakers based in the town of Valvignieres, in the Ardeche, and act as informal mentors to the many winemakers in the area. Le Mazel’s wines are as unpretentious and as unfussy as they come, yet in their seemingly simplicity contain multitudes that can only come from a lifetime dedicated to a specific practice. There is a zen-like joie de vivre character to these wines that keeps me coming back for more, and in combination with reading Anders Frederik Steen’s recently published book ‘Poetry is Growing in Our Garden’, has made me reconsider the Ardeche as a truly serious place to make wine.
Cuvée Charbonnieres 2018
Chardonnay
$26
There is a touch of RS, that in concert with its ripeness and balanced minerality, makes this an incredibly intoxicating and addicting drink—one of my recent favorites and the best apéro gear in town
Vin de Soif 2018
Grenache / Carignan
$25
Carbonically macerated Grenache and Carignan that feels joyous in the glass—perfect for the current spring LA weather.