Maxime Magnon is from Burgundy, but didn’t inherit any property there, so he went further afield to find land he could afford. Though he had apprenticed under the estimable Jean Foillard in the Beaujolais cru of Morgon, he wound up much further south, on the rocky, scrubby slopes of the Corbières AOC, restoring abandoned plots of old-vine Carignan and other varieties. With further mentoring from Didier Barral in neaby Faugères, Magnon’s little garagiste-style operation has become a model of organic viticulture and clean, natural winemaking in a region once dismissed as one of the “wine lakes” of the Languedoc.

The Corbières AOC is a large and geographically diverse one, extending from coastal plains along the Mediterranean (home to massive tracts of ultra-productive vineyards) to the foothills of the Pyrenées in the south and west of the zone. Magnon’s 11 hectares of vines are situated in the latter “Hautes-Corbières” (upper Corbières) sub-zone, at elevations reaching up to 500 meters. The steep slopes here are characterized by an extremely thin topsoil over a rocky mix of limestone and schist, and it should go without saying that all vineyard work is done by hand. The vineyard sources for “Rozeta” are between 50 and 60 years old, and, while they’re primarily planted to Carignan, they are, in true old-school fashion, interspersed with other varieties: Grenache and Syrah, along with Grenache Gris, Macabou and Terret. Magnon harvests the different varieties at the same time and ferments them all together, in classic “field blend” fashion, utilizing no sulfur during vinification and only trace amounts at bottling. The wine was aged in used Burgundy barrels sourced from a domaine in Chassagne-Montrachet.

And while you might not identify which one straight away, you definitely taste “place” in this supremely enjoyable 2016. In the glass it’s a deep, nearly opaque ruby with purple/black reflections, brimming with black fruits and wild flowers—black plum, black raspberry, lavender and damp violets, dried herbs, leather, cured meat and crushed black stones. The palate is medium-plus in body, with mouth-coating juiciness lifted by fresh acidity and framed by dusty tannins. It’s the combination of fruit concentration and mineral savor that puts it on par with some of the greatest red wines of France, from Cru Beaujolais to Cornas and beyond. It defies classification in the most delicious way—by all means open and decant a bottle as soon as possible, giving it about 45 minutes of air before serving in Burgundy stems, and then find some space in your cellar for some more. It will make a great medium-term ager to revisit periodically over the next 3-5 years, charming you and your guests every time. My mind went immediately to a roast leg of lamb with juniper and what an amazing partner this wine would make. It’s special, and well-worth the journey outside your comfort zone (if it is one). Cheers!