Mouton Noir : The Black Sheep of Natural Wine
Why one winemaker’s wild, soul-driven wines are changing everything you thought you knew about natural wine.
Shop Mouton Noir | Taste the Rebellion
Somewhere in the foothills of Corbières, you take a wrong turn. Then another. You drop into a ravine, through a series of storm-carved potholes, wondering whether you’ve made a mistake. Finally, you arrive at a fast-moving river—and wait. A moment later, Cedric Mouton appears, grinning behind the wheel of a 4x4. He fords the river without hesitation.
Welcome to the wild world of Mas de Mouton Noir, home of one of the most compelling natural wine producers in Southern France.
A horse named Banzai. A white goose. A barefoot girlfriend. And the kind of raw, expressive wines that remind you natural wine isn’t a trend—it’s a way of life. This is Cedric’s world, and it’s completely his own.
He’s not following the rules. He’s rewriting them.
From Qigong to Carignan: Cedric’s Unlikely Journey
Cedric didn’t start as a winemaker. He began as a practitioner of Qigong, the ancient Chinese art of energy cultivation. His days were spent balancing internal rhythms with the natural world—something he now does through the vineyard.
When he first planted grapes in Gorges du Gouleyrous, between the rugged cliffs of Tautavel and Paziols, it was an extension of that philosophy: respect for the land, patience, movement, and breath. This is not factory farming. This is living farming.
Every vine is touched by hand. Every grape is harvested manually. Every wine is made with as little intervention as possible. Because in Cedric’s world, less is not just more—it’s the only way.
Why Mouton Noir Means “Black Sheep” — And Why It Fits
Cedric named his domaine Mas de Mouton Noir — “The Black Sheep Estate” — for a reason. He’s not interested in producing wines that fit a formula. His mission is to make wine that expresses place, soul, and purity, no matter how wild the process gets.
But don’t mistake rebellious for reckless.
These aren’t the murky, moussy, volatile bottles that sometimes give natural wine a bad name. Cedric’s wines are clean, structured, energetic — and bursting with character.
He’s not making wine to chase clout. He’s making wine because it’s the most honest form of art he knows.
Where It’s Grown: Gorges du Gouleyrous, Roussillon
The journey to Cedric’s vineyards is almost as wild as the wines. Accessible only via winding mountain roads and a nerve-jangling descent into a ravine, his land lies in the heart of Roussillon, in the shadow of the Pyrenees.
There’s something magical here—rivers that move fast, winds that shape the vines, and a soil composition of clay-limestone and shale that delivers grip, tension, and minerality.
He farms just 6.5 hectares, and every inch is alive. His grape varieties include:
Muscat Petit Grain
Macabeu
Grenache Gris & Noir
Carignan
Syrah
Mourvèdre
It’s a palette of heritage fruit, grown without pesticides, shaped by a winemaker who listens more than he speaks.
The Winemaking: Amphora, Steel, and Zero Bullsh*t
Fermentation happens naturally. Some grapes are whole-cluster, some are destemmed. Vats are either stainless steel, fibre, or traditional Georgian amphora—an ancient clay vessel that Cedric introduced in 2022 to deepen the wine’s connection to the earth.
There are no lab yeasts. No filtering. No stabilising. And no added sulphur unless absolutely necessary.
It’s natural winemaking, but not for show. There’s an internal discipline to it—each decision feels considered, not performative.
“I ride my horse naked every day to feel nature all around me,” Cedric once said.
He wasn’t joking. And that’s exactly why the wines are so good.
Meet the Mouton Noir Wines
Each bottle in Cedric’s collection feels like a chapter in a much bigger story. They’re all different—but unmistakably Mouton Noir.
Born to Be Wine (Red)
Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan come together in this wild but finessed blend. Notes of black fruit, earth, and cracked pepper. It’s nightfall in a glass.
Les Blancs (Orange Wine)
Macabeu and Grenache Gris with skin contact. Textured, floral, and subtly spicy. A wine that glows from the inside out.
Ananda (Syrah)
Single-varietal Syrah with serious soul. Deep, brooding, meditative. For fire-lit nights and big conversations.
Medee (White)
Fresh stone fruit, almond, and a salty, almost coastal lift. Grenache Blanc meets Macabeu in a quietly confident bottle.
Petit Mouton Noir (Red)
The entry point, but not basic. Juicy, energetic, unfiltered. An open invitation to the world of real wine.
Natural Red Wine, But With Backbone
One of the myths about natural red wine is that it’s unpredictable or “funky.” Cedric’s wines break that stereotype.
They’re natural, yes. But they have structure, acidity, balance, and a finish that lingers. You can serve them with food or drink them solo. You can decant or drink now. They’re wines that behave, but never conform.
Why We’re Proud to Bring Mouton Noir to the UK
In a world of mass production and marketing fluff, Cedric’s wines are the real deal. They remind us why we started Taste Union in the first place — to work with makers, not brands. To tell stories that matter. And to bring proper, small-batch, Languedoc wine to curious drinkers who care about what’s in their glass.
This isn’t supermarket wine. It’s soul work. And we’re honoured to share it with you.
Join the Rebellion
Taste the black sheep of Roussillon. Support the winemaker who rides bareback, farms by feel, and crafts wine that whispers something unforgettable.