We are so pleased to be heading into Autumn bolstered with two of our favourite wines for the season: the new vintage of Cabirou and the annual Red release from Project 108 - Paul Old's zero-zero project, a workshop allowing experimentation beyond his 'vision-driven' Les Clos Perdus: the 20-hectare biodynamic domaine he founded in Corbières with Hugo Stewart 20 years ago.
Paul makes two 108 wines each year: a different red - dependent on what parcel he's hoping to experiment with - and a macerated Muscat from a breathtaking patch of old vines high in the hills of Tautavel, named for the nearby Queribous castle.
We love this annual release, always a brilliant opportunity to see where Paul's decisions - or lack of - have led him.
This year the 2023 Cabirou - its fourth edition - was a 50/50 whole-bunch/destemmed maceration for three weeks, a little Maritime Grenache Blanc joining the Schiste-grown Muscat. The 2022 Red focuses on the moody, savoury and autumnal character of Paul's Maritime Mourvedre, a quick five-day maceration of destemmed and whole bunch fruit - both are available now and tasting perfect for the season.
In the cellar, Paul's rule for 108 is: "leave it" - an evolving experiment, the choice of vessels, maceration times and ageing can change each year, but the idea remains pure: adding nothing, doing as little as possible for the best result.
Working biodynamically since the early 2000's, Paul's approach has developed alongside climate change. Now no-till, prioritising soil health and diversity, increasing aerobic bacteria. For Paul, it's all about the soil: reducing the use of sulphur and copper in the vines (he hasn't sprayed copper in four years) swapping in compost teas and algae treatments.
Last year we spoke at length with Paul about soil health and farming, an edited excerpt of that conversation is republished below the info about the new releases. It's always a joy to speak with Paul, offering great insight into his process and decisions as a grower and winemaker.
AVAILABLE NOW
SKINS
NEW 2023 - Cabirou - Project 108 - Peyriac-de-Mer - Muscat, Grenache Blanc
Hand-harvested Muscat from Schist soils high in the hills of Tautavel, joined by 25% Grenache Blanc grown over clay-limestone down in Corbières Maritime. Half of a stainless steel tank was filled whith whole bunches, the rest de-stemmed, sealed and macerated for three weeks before basket pressing. Returned to its tank for regular battonage until alcoholic and malolactic fermentations were complete. Bottled March 6th, 2024, with no additions.
RED
NEW 2022 - Rouge - Project 108 - Peyriac-de-Mer - Mourvèdre
Hand-harvested Mourvèdre grown on the clay-limestone soils of Corbières Maritime. Majority whole-bunch, with a little destemmed fruit, macerated in stainless steel with fairly regular plunges for five days before basket pressing back to its tank. Racked once before bottling with no additions.
A conversation with Paul Old June, 2023
Hey Paul, how are you going? How are the vines looking?
Yes, I’m good thanks, we’re definitely looking at a third year of hydric stress for the vines, but we had thunderstorms last week and everything got a good dose of water, thankfully!
With the hydric stress and the way temperatures have been going down there, have you had to adjust with your approach in the vines?
Absolutely. We stopped working the soil a few years ago, so we've got lots of grass growing - which helps create airflow in the soil as each blade of grass is creating channels. Stopping working the soil hugely reduces that soil temperature, and of course, you maintain much more of whatever water you've been blessed with; there's much less evaporation.
Primarily, it's all about microbes in the soil, you need to get that root system established and protected. In recent years I think people have really realised it's not just soil: it's like the Amazon down there. There's so much happening, and if it's not happening, it can't sufficiently feed the vine.
We've actually been doing a bit of work with Professor Elaine Ingham - one of the world's foremost soil biologists - really looking at how to best develop that balance of bacteria and microbe populations. The key is to encourage aerobic bacteria and funghi in the soil. There's a huge difference between aerobic and anaerobic (no-oxygen) microorganisms. To put it simply, Aerobic bacteria are the good guys, anaerobic bacteria are really the breeding ground of disease for the plant.
Twice a year I go out with this very potent compost tea, we pump it full of air and it begins to ferment like crazy, the temperature rockets up, and you're really brewing microorganisms. That gets sprayed everywhere for this very high population of aerobic fungi, bacteria, and microorganisms.
Now we're almost entirely down to exclusively using compost teas and natural bio-stimulants for the vines - lots of algae-based treatments. We've gotten to a point where we're using tiny, tiny doses of sulphur and haven't sprayed copper in three years. Keeping the soil copper-free is vital. Increasing all that accessible nitrogen in the soil for the plants has become very, very important as we've faced a few consecutive years of hydric stress.
Despite being biodynamic for 20 years, this is really new ground for us, and it's completely fascinating.
You're five years into Project 108 now which feels like a pretty nice milestone, what's one of the biggest things you've learnt so far?
As a winemaker, and I suppose as a creative; simply watching and following a process unfold can be so much more satisfying than one you're overthinking, or overworking.
When those expectations have gone out of the window, you can be much more open to how a wine might develop. And your ego is out of the process; you've finally gotten out of your own way! It's an important thing for anyone to learn: any form of sensitivity and intelligence, you don't have to hold onto it and suffocate it. You can stay open and playful, it'll be okay.
Also as this has gone on, it's that huge realisation with wine that nature is so much more complex than anything we can do. Farm as well as you can, look after your soil and your plants and really, just let it do its thing.
