The Story:

This small domaine is full of interest. The owner, Matthieu Vergnes, actually has a maths degree, but he learned winemaking from his father for this is another one of those family domaines which goes back generation upon generation, though the father used to sell grapes to the Cooperative. Matthieu took over in 2003, and they now have a clear range  bottled at the domaine, with names deriving from the various children in the family. At the entry level end are some single varietal wines, but things start getting interesting with the blends.

Apart from their top red, “Octave” (Price Band D) which is a traditional, sturdy Languedoc red (as it aims to be), the others all have a touch of imagination in the creation and in their flavour palate. Indeed, he’s planted out some saperavi, the grape from Georgia, which will start producing in a few years which will add a new dimension. Right now the assemblages remain French, but not at all obvious. Hence, their entry level red, ‘La Reve de Louis’ (Price Band B) is a delicious blend of syrah, pinot noir, carignan and merlot; or their mid-tier rosé, ‘Les Larmes d’Ema’ (Price Band C) is a grenache-viognier mix; it’s a lovely rich wine, with this bit of complexity enhancing what is still a ‘vin de plaisir’. Similarly, their mid-tier white, Les Larmes d’Ema’ (Price Band C) has a beautiful equilibrium about it, despite being an elaborate mix: viognier, chardonnay and sauvignon.

Finally, look out for a late harvest carignan, called Maé, made in very small quantities, but could be mistaken for a Maury vin doux naturel, although made using a completely different method. Lovely balance between genuine sweetness, but still freshness. One to solve the perennial issue of what wine will work with a chocolate based dessert.