In 2015 Jean-Paul Versino found a vineyard just a few miles outside Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and he saw something special in it. Just 4 hectares of vines divided between Grenache, Syrah, and Merlot, which the winemakers of the great Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf domaine farm organically. The name Petit Oursan is a pun – because french wineries simply can’t help themselves when it comes to puns – combining the French word for bear (Ours) with the family name. This elegantly rustic wine is an insane value. A blend of 45% Grenache, 40% Merlot, and 15% Syrah offers a plump nose of blackberry and wild blueberry, hay, fresh turned earth, and cinnamon. The palate reveals the Bois de Boursan touch, full bodied with long, silky tannins. Dried cherries and raspberries, prunes, figs, and dry leaves. The finish is surprisingly clean and snappy for such a hearty wine. Earth and fruit share the gentle finish, begging for another bite of stewed root vegetable, burger, or mushroom risotto.