# Charlot (2023)

- **Producer:** Domaine de l'Octavin
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Syrah, Merlot, Carignan
- **Region:** Vin de France, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €28
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 13–15 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** strawberry, cherry, raspberry, violet, black pepper, leather, forest floor

## About this wine

Domaine de l'Octavin was founded in Arbois in 2005 by Alice Bouvot. To adapt to recurring severe spring frosts in the Jura, Alice established a négoce arm under SAS l'Octavin. She travels across France with her team to hand-harvest organic grapes from trusted growers and vinifies them in Arbois without synthetic inputs. Charlot is a cross-regional red cuvée combining grapes from Ardèche and Vaucluse.

## Interesting facts

- Founder Alice Bouvot is a former classical cellist who studied oenology in Bordeaux and Burgundy.
- Grapes are hand-harvested in Southern France and transported to Arbois in Jura for vinification.
- Négoce cuvées like Charlot feature distinctive, whimsical gnome illustrations on their labels.

## Food pairing

The wine's energetic acidity and soft tannins pair wonderfully with roasted poultry, cured meats, and earthy mushrooms without clashing or feeling astringent.

## Wine making process

The fruit is hand-harvested into small crates and transported back to Arbois. Merlot undergoes 10 days of whole-cluster maceration, Syrah is macerated whole-cluster for 8 days, and Carignan is directly pressed. Spontaneous fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts and zero added additives or sulfur dioxide. Varieties are vinified separately initially, assembled post-pressing, and aged in neutral tank for seven months before bottling unfined and unfiltered.