{"product_id":"matassa-coume-de-l-olla-macabeo-muscat-cotes-catalanes-fr-2021","title":"Matassa - 'Coume de l`Olla' - Macabeo, Muscat - Côtes Catalanes, FR - 2021","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhat can we say about these wines other than... \"theyre Singular in the world and nothing really compares!\"\u003cbr\u003eTom Lubbe is doing something amazing in the Pyrenées. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSoil Composition: Lime, Clay\u003cbr\u003eFarming: Organic (certified)\u003cbr\u003eAge of vines: 45 years old\u003cbr\u003eExposure: Mixed\u003cbr\u003eFining\/Filtration: Unfined\/Unfiltered\u003cbr\u003eFun facts: The wine comes from a single vineyard (Coume de l'Olla) and is named after it.\u003cbr\u003eAppellation: Vin de France\u003cbr\u003eWinemaking: Two week whole-cluster maceration. Fermented and aged in concrete vats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow does a New Zealander who grew up in South Africa end up starting an iconoclastic estate in the Roussillon? This isn't exactly an everyday occurrence, but so it goes for Tom Lubbe of Domaine Matassa. In the late 90's, Tom was working at the only estate in South Africa using indigenous yeasts and lower\u003cbr\u003eyields.\u003cbr\u003eInterested in working with Mediterranean varietals, Tom managed to score a three month internship at the legendary Domaine Gauby in the village of Calce.\u003cbr\u003eGérard Gauby quickly befriended Tom and asked him to come back for three consecutive vintages as a cellar hand. During that time, Tom met his wife Nathalie, who just so happens to be Gérard's sister.\u003cbr\u003eThe birth of their first child made Tom reconsider moving back to South Africa, opting instead to stay in Calce to start his own\u003cbr\u003eestate.\u003cbr\u003eMatassa was founded in 2003, with the first vintage entirely produced in the recently married couple's living room. Gérard felt so bad about this that he gave Tom the old Gauby cellar in 2004!\u003cbr\u003eTom works with many of the traditional Catalan varieties:\u003cbr\u003eCarignan, Mourvèdre, Grenache (mostly Lladonner Pelut, the ancient Catalan strain of Grenache), Grenache Gris, Muscat d'Alexandrie and Muscat Petits-Grains.\u003cbr\u003eThese grapes are often co-planted together, particularly in the very old vines. In total, 20 hectares are cultivated on lime, clay,\u003cbr\u003eschist, marl, black slate and black marl soils. While Tom still farms some of the very low yielding old vines around the village of Calce, he has vastly expanded to different areas where yields are more generous, typically in the 25\/30 hl\/ha range (still relatively low for the region). These include the lieu-dit Coume de l'Olla as well as a 2019 acquisition of eight hectares planted above his new farmhouse (read more about this in our 2019 visit).\u003cbr\u003eThe vineyards are worked naturally without any chemical aids and Tom is certified organic by Ecocert. And while he does occasionally use biodynamic techniques to activate and nourish his soils, over the years this has become less of a priority. Instead, an adamant dedication to cover crops has completely transformed his soils and in turn the wines. Tom is convinced that the increased insect life within the soils, particularly worms, has changed the flavors of his wines. Another shocking effect: a drastic drop in alcohol. Tom has always harvested much earlier than most, usually starting with the Muscat in early August. In 2005, they would typically reach a potential of 13.5% alcohol. In 2018, they came in around 10.5%.\u003cbr\u003eMuch has also changed in the cellar over the years. All the wines have now intentionally been declassified to Vin de France.\u003cbr\u003eAs mentioned above, the alcohol is much lower, rarely more than 12%. The white wines are all macerated on their skins, a choice that goes back to \"Alexandria\" 2008, the first Matassa wine of its kind. For the reds, whole-cluster infusions take precedent to maceration and extraction, with white grapes often co-fermented.\u003cbr\u003eIf oak is used, it is not to bring structure to the wine but rather oxygen. Longer élevages have been abandoned to bottle wines much earlier.  Everything is bottled without filtration or\u003cbr\u003efining. Sulfur, which Tom had used judiciously in the past, has not been added to any of the production since the 2015\u003cbr\u003evintage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Satellite SB","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44122738491643,"sku":"00073768","price":46.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0403\/3655\/6193\/products\/6707b17dc42d74e78b7ac7b02613185e.jpg?v=1669163902","url":"https:\/\/satellitesb.com\/products\/matassa-coume-de-l-olla-macabeo-muscat-cotes-catalanes-fr-2021","provider":"Satellite SB","version":"1.0","type":"link"}