River VdF rouge 2025

A Syrah that gets by on 11.0% ABV, and that's precisely where its style comes from: buoyantly light, agile, yet with earthiness and depth. Structure and finesse sit alongside juiciness and directness here, a vin de soif best poured lightly chilled.

The grapes come from a vineyard at 500 metres altitude near Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet. Tom Lubbe, a New Zealander with South African roots, farms 20 hectares around Calce and Espira-de-l'Agly together with Nathalie Lubbe, many parcels planted with vines aged 60 to 120 years, on soils of schist and marl, black schist and black marl. Harvest happens early, which is why Domaine Matassa's wines rarely exceed 12% alcohol.

Single-varietal Syrah, hand-harvested. The whole clusters were foot-trodden and fermented on the skins for five days, followed by eight months of ageing in 500-litre tonneaux. Spontaneous fermentation, unfiltered, and since 2015 no added sulphur has left the cellar.

On the nose, freshly picked violets, morello cherries and firm wild strawberries, alongside herbs, long-steeped Assam tea, a light peppery note and a hint of black olive tapenade. On the palate, a saline minerality carries the wine, the tannin stays fine, the acidity vibrant.

Domaine Matassa is Ecocert-certified; Tom Lubbe works on soil health through cover cropping, compost and hand labour. The wine is classified as Vin de France.