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Olivier Pithon 'Mon P'tit Pithon' Rouge
Grapes — Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre (equal thirds)
Region — Côtes Catalanes IGP, Roussillon, France
Tasting Notes — Bright ruby with an expressive, fruit-forward nose — juicy plum, fresh cherry, blueberry, and tart cranberry, with a pop of citrus and a thread of savory herbs underneath. The palate is crunchy and lively, light on its feet with a lemon-zest acidity on the finish that keeps it honest and endlessly refreshing. This is the kind of red you reach for slightly chilled on a warm evening and finish before you've thought about it.
The Wine — A co-fermented blend of equal parts Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre sourced from Olivier's estate parcels and five neighboring certified organic or organically transitioning growers in and around the village of Calce — a small, windswept village in the Pyrénées-Orientales where old, gnarled Grenache vines cling to schist and limestone hillsides between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenées. Seven months in stainless steel and cement. Lightly filtered before bottling. Minimal sulfur only.
Farming — Certified organic since 2002, fully biodynamic since 2010. Olivier farms his own parcels with the help of his cows — literally — using animal traction for vineyard work wherever possible. All neighboring grower parcels contributing to this cuvée are either certified organic or actively in conversion. No synthetic inputs of any kind across the entire supply chain for this wine.
Winemaking — 100% whole berry co-fermentation in large stainless steel tanks, native yeasts only. A low dose of sulfur added after the completion of malolactic fermentation. Aged seven months in stainless steel and cement before a light clarifying filtration and bottling. The approach is deliberately light-handed — Olivier's philosophy is that great wine is made in the vineyard, and the cellar's job is to stay out of the way.
The Producer — Olivier Pithon grew up in Anjou in the Loire Valley, the younger brother of the acclaimed winemaker Jo Pithon, with his earliest memories formed in his grandfather's hillside vineyards. After studying oenology in Bordeaux and apprenticing across Beaujolais and Jurançon, he landed in Calce in 2001 — introduced to the village by his brother and immediately captivated by its three distinct terroirs, its ancient vines, and its radical sense of place. He arrived with a cow, a mare, and an immediate commitment to organic farming — the second person in the village to do so, which earned him the affectionate local nickname "Bio-Man." Today his domaine has grown to 25 hectares of meticulously farmed vines on complex schist, marl, and calcareous clay soils, and Calce has become something of a natural wine pilgrimage destination. Mon P'tit Pithon is his entry point: unpretentious, joyful, and made with exactly the same care and conviction as his celebrated single-vineyard wines.
Drink It With — Charcuterie, veggie pizza, roasted chicken, lamb merguez, or slightly chilled on any occasion that calls for something crunchy and alive.
Olivier Pithon 'Mon P'tit Pithon' Rouge
Grapes — Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre (equal thirds)
Region — Côtes Catalanes IGP, Roussillon, France
Tasting Notes — Bright ruby with an expressive, fruit-forward nose — juicy plum, fresh cherry, blueberry, and tart cranberry, with a pop of citrus and a thread of savory herbs underneath. The palate is crunchy and lively, light on its feet with a lemon-zest acidity on the finish that keeps it honest and endlessly refreshing. This is the kind of red you reach for slightly chilled on a warm evening and finish before you've thought about it.
The Wine — A co-fermented blend of equal parts Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre sourced from Olivier's estate parcels and five neighboring certified organic or organically transitioning growers in and around the village of Calce — a small, windswept village in the Pyrénées-Orientales where old, gnarled Grenache vines cling to schist and limestone hillsides between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenées. Seven months in stainless steel and cement. Lightly filtered before bottling. Minimal sulfur only.
Farming — Certified organic since 2002, fully biodynamic since 2010. Olivier farms his own parcels with the help of his cows — literally — using animal traction for vineyard work wherever possible. All neighboring grower parcels contributing to this cuvée are either certified organic or actively in conversion. No synthetic inputs of any kind across the entire supply chain for this wine.
Winemaking — 100% whole berry co-fermentation in large stainless steel tanks, native yeasts only. A low dose of sulfur added after the completion of malolactic fermentation. Aged seven months in stainless steel and cement before a light clarifying filtration and bottling. The approach is deliberately light-handed — Olivier's philosophy is that great wine is made in the vineyard, and the cellar's job is to stay out of the way.
The Producer — Olivier Pithon grew up in Anjou in the Loire Valley, the younger brother of the acclaimed winemaker Jo Pithon, with his earliest memories formed in his grandfather's hillside vineyards. After studying oenology in Bordeaux and apprenticing across Beaujolais and Jurançon, he landed in Calce in 2001 — introduced to the village by his brother and immediately captivated by its three distinct terroirs, its ancient vines, and its radical sense of place. He arrived with a cow, a mare, and an immediate commitment to organic farming — the second person in the village to do so, which earned him the affectionate local nickname "Bio-Man." Today his domaine has grown to 25 hectares of meticulously farmed vines on complex schist, marl, and calcareous clay soils, and Calce has become something of a natural wine pilgrimage destination. Mon P'tit Pithon is his entry point: unpretentious, joyful, and made with exactly the same care and conviction as his celebrated single-vineyard wines.
Drink It With — Charcuterie, veggie pizza, roasted chicken, lamb merguez, or slightly chilled on any occasion that calls for something crunchy and alive.