Domaine Matassa, Espira d’Lagly/Calce
This South African guy has done good stuff in Southern France since 1998.
Tom Lubbe escaped the South African Apartheid regime with his parents as a kid and spent the later part of his childhood in New Zeeland. It was also here that he made his first wine.
After a few years working as a flying winemaker at various fancy estates in both New Zeeland and Australia, he had an urge to try out working with mediterranean varieties and managed to get a 3 months internship with Domaine Gauby in Calce, Roussillon.
As things happened, Tom met Nathalie in Calce, who also was his new boss’ sister (handy) and he decided to come back for the next season. At the same time, back in South Africa, Tom started up his own vinery, the legendary ‘The Observatory’ situated in Swartland and, what we know of, the only vinery producing natural wines in SA at that time.
Tom and Nathalie had their first son Jules and Tom decided to focus on his life in France and started up his Domaine Matassa with first vintage made in 2003. Years have passed, many wines has been made (and drunk), vineyards have been purchased bit by bit, and a lot of hard work has been put into soils. Wineries have changed from their own living room, to more and more comfortable venues.
Since early 2019, Tom’s château is located in Espira d’Agly, former home of Jolly Ferriol, only 13 kilometers from Calce, where the main part of his vineyards are.
Today he has 20 ha of vineyards in this wild and beautiful corner of France and we are excited to see what will come out of the new parcels purchased around the new winery.
The wines are vibrant and lively, with depth and transparency.
2022 Matassa Blanc
Soil: Schist
Grape: Grenache Gris & Maccabeu
Appellation: IGP Côtes Catalanes
Age of Vines: + 100 years
Vinification: Direct press for the Grenache Gris, the Maccabeu is wholecluster fermented for 2 weeks, then pressed and blended with the Grenache Gris juice. Continous fermentation and ageing takes place in old foudres for 10 months.
2022 Matassa Rouge
Soil: Marl
Grape: Carignan Noir
Appellation: IGP Côtes Catalanes
Age of Vines: Planted 1900
Vinification: Whole cluster fermentation in open with careful punch down by feet for 10 days, then pressed and aged in old foudres for 8 months.
2022 Rollaball
Soil: Black marl with volcanic rock (Myrs vineyard)
Grape: 60% Carignan 40% Mourvedre
Appellation: IGP Côtes Catalanes
Age of Vines: Planted 1950-1985
Vinification: Direct slow press before fermentation and ageing in concrete tanks. Bottling took place at the end of January 2023.
2022 Brutal Rouge
Soil: Red schist
Grape: 60% Syrah 40% Muscat d’Alexandria
Appellation: IGP Côtes Catalanes
Age of Vines: Planted 1929 – 1970
Vinification: Whole cluster fermentation in closed tanks to avoid extraction (no need for punch down) pressed after 3 weeks maceration and aged in old 600 liters barrels for 5 months before bottling.
2022 Tattouine Rouge
Soil: Red schist
Grape: 90% Grenache Gris 10% Grenache Noir
Appellation: IGP Côtes Catalanes
Age of Vines: planted 1929 and before
Vinification: Whole cluster fermentation in closed tanks to avoid extraction (no need for punch down) pressed after 3 weeks maceration and aged in old 600 liters barrels for 6 months before bottling.
2022 Cuvée Romanissa
Soil: Schist
Grape: Grenache Noir (old hairy type called Lladonner Pelut)
Appellation: IGP Côtes Catalanes
Age of Vines: Planted 1939
Vinification: Whole cluster fermentation in open vats with careful punch down by feet, pressed after 7 days of maceration and aged in old demi-muid before bottling after 8 months.
2022 French Disko
Soil: Red schist
Grape: Cinsault
Appellation: IGP Côtes Catalanes
Age of Vines: Planted 2015
Vinification: Whole cluster fermentation in closed tanks to avoid extraction (no need for punch down) pressed after 3 weeks maceration and aged in old 600 liters barrels for 6 months before bottling.