Mikaël's smallest cuvée of which only around 1000 or so bottles are made each year, depending on the yield of the vintage. 100% Côt from 35 year-old vines in a small parcel of silex and clay at around one third of a hectare. These flinty soils are also dotted with unusual black stones, the eponymous and charmingly-named 'Couilles d'Anes' - donkey balls, as the local vigneron colloquially refer to them. No-one can really explain their presence, but it is most likely an ancient alluvial spread from the historic path of the river Cher.

The grapes are destemmed, foot-crushed and then macerate for 10 days before being pressed off to old 500-litre barrels to rest for 18 months, with a further 6 months in tank,  before bottling. A comforting aromatic vintage, all vivid, violet, dark bramble fruits in the glass. On the palate the wine brims with energy and life showing inky, black-forest-gateau fruit, wonderful spice and well balanced, integrated tanins melding with sweet leather. Every vintage of this wine appears to be getting better!