Matthieu Barret ‘Petit Ours’ Côtes du Rhône 2024

A friend warmly calls this charming Côtes du Rhône red the ‘Glitter Bear’ cuvée—in fact, the label is given for what we in English call the Little Dipper constellation. The idea is that Barret makes a totally stunning, big-boy Cornas: that’s the Big Dipper, and this is the little one. Not afraid of big, pure black and dark fruit, but with the freshness and reality that we’ve come to hope for from sincere natural winemakers. Black olives balanced with some bright and bouncy red right, firm tannins, but no sandpaper here. If you’re a person who doesn’t love a lot of northern Rhône Syrah because they can be so feral and tough, this little bear ought to change your mind—charming wine.