Simon Busser

Prayssac, France

Simon Busser's property sits on a bend of the Lot River, 20 minutes west of Cahors. He lives there with his wife and young family and crafts high-quality, medium-bodied, refreshing red wines from 5ha of Malbec, Merlot and a little Tannat.

Near the small village of Prayssac, Simon's property 'Les Rouges' was started by Simon's grandfather. The altitude here is minimal, at not a great deal more than 100m and the vineyard is more or less flat. It is, however, a great, great place to grow grapes. The micro-climate is very favourable, cool nights are a strong feature despite the warm days, and the loose, free-draining soil is extremely varied from one small parcel to the next. There is great diversity between the parcels; the limestone content varies visibly, as does the level of silica.

The vines are in beautiful health. Simon works all of the parcels with a horse, and avoids tractor compaction as much as possible. The influence of Olivier Cousin is clear in Simon's farming. In addition to the soil being worked with the help of a horse, Simon treats the vineyard with fermented teas and extracts of plants collected from the Lot Valley such as willow, nettle, burdock, sorrel, yarrow and garlic.

In the winery, apart from extreme diligence in terms of fruit selection and elevage, things are simple. All of the oak is very old, fermentation takes place in concrete and fruit is destemmed. The wines are lightly oxidative, and some have enough concentration and balance to evolve for many years.

In addition to his own wines, Simon has also made wine in collaboration with dear friends Louis and Charlotte Perot of Ostal Levant, to whom he has been a great mentor over the years.

 

Information on previous wines

  • From one of Simon’s oldest parcels of malbec (70%) and merlot (30%) inherited from his grandfather. Destemmed and fermented in concrete with elevage in old barrels.

    2019 Another great year, with depth, concentration, austerity and minerality.

    2018 A very low yielding year, resulting in excellent quality. Deep and layered, with enough concentration to mature gracefully in the cellar for years to come.

    2015 A warm albeit high-quality year. ABV 13.5%

    2014 From an excellent, cool-ish year, which across the board was marked by fine structure and lots of nerve and freshness.

  • 2021 Malbec from a 35-year-old parcel planted on alluvial soils over limestone bedrock, destemmed and fermented in concrete with elevage in old barrels. A cooler, slow-ripening and low-yielding year, resulting in a medium-bodied bistro wine. There’s plenty of flesh and freshness, with dark fruit and a savoury, stalky back-palate.

  • 2017 Malbec, merlot and gamay. A challenging, low-yielding year resulting in fruit with good quality and concentration. Destemmed and fermented in concrete with elevage in old barrels.

  • 2019/2021 90% malbec, 10% merlot. Destemmed and fermented in concrete with elevage in old barrels. Medium bodied, with dark fruit and varietal austerity.

  • Malbec from 60-year-old vines. Destemmed and fermented in concrete with elevage in old barrels

    2020 An excellent year. Dark-fruited, with direct acidity and good concentration.

  • Malbec from Simon’s oldest parcel, destemmed and fermented in concrete with elevage in old barrels

    2016 From a sunny vintage resulting in an extra layer of depth to the fruit. Dark, earthen and complex, with the trademark acidity of all Simon’s wines.

    2014 From an excellent year, which across the board was marked by fine structure and lots of nerve and freshness.

  • 2015 100% malbec from 30-year-old vines. Fermented in concrete with elevage in barrels.

  • Old-vine malbec

    2016 From a sunny vintage resulting in an extra layer of depth to the fruit, with brisk acidity.

    2014 From an excellent year, which across the board was marked by fine structure and lots of nerve and freshness.

  • Tannat, destemmed and fermented in concrete with elevage in old barrels.

    2014 From an excellent year, which across the board was marked by fine structure and lots of nerve and freshness. A core of brisk crunchy red fruit with bright acidity.

  • 2015 An extraordinary vintage for Simon. Saignée of malbec from a few different tanks in the early stages of maceration, with elevage largely in tank. Pure, pulpy and precise, with minerality.

  • 2017 Bottled in magnum only. Chardonnay from Etienne Thebaud’s Lumachelle parcel in the Jura. Very long, with very concentrated Chablis-like minerality which speaks of the marine fossils in the soil.