Matassa Rouge VdF 2023

The Matassa Rouge VdF 2023 is a dry Carignan from Calce in Roussillon, lean in structure at 11.5% ABV. When young, it shows cool and strongly reductive in the glass, earthy rather than fruity: damp forest floor, moss, undergrowth, fir and spruce needles, along with cold smoke, fresh mushrooms and ground pepper. At first, only red currants can be teased out on the fruit side. It needs time and plenty of air.

Tom Lubbe and Nathalie farm 20 hectares scattered across the hills around Calce and Espira-de-l'Agly, high-altitude garrigue plots up to about 450 metres, often surrounded by dense scrubland, cedars and wild rosemary. The soils are schist and marl, including black schist and black marl. Cover crops, compost and patient handwork are standard practice here, confirmed by Ecocert certification. Lubbe works on soil health, and the earthworms have returned.

Carignan from old vines. At Vivier, Lubbe saved ancient Carignan vines from being uprooted after the cooperative deemed them too low-yielding. He harvests early, ferments spontaneously and uses whole-cluster infusion for the reds. No filtration, no fining, and since 2015 no sulphur has left the cellar.

Here the fruit steps forward more clearly: cranberries, red currants, rosehips. The body stays lean, the acidity is present, linear and mouth-watering. On the finish, a light bitter note, fine tannin coats the teeth, sage and juniper linger.

In 2003, Tom Lubbe vinified his first vintage in the living room of an old cellar belonging to Gérard Gauby, with whom he had trained in Calce. Today, Domaine Matassa ranks among the icons of the natural wine scene. Early picking keeps alcohol levels low, while the reductive style demands patience.