Matassa

Tom Lubbe, the wine rebel from South Africa, dreamed early on of a viticulture that put nature at the centre. But it was only in the Mediterranean Languedoc-Roussillon that he found the perfect place to turn his revolutionary vision into reality. After years as cellar master with legend Gerard Gauby, he acquired a spectacular parcel of a wild, uncut vineyard with ancient Carignan vines in 2003 - and Matassa was born. Together with his wife Nathalie and friend Sam Harrop, the Matassa estate is now one of the most progressive farms in the south of France, and probably in the world.

Matassa now covers around 15 hectares, is cultivated with uncompromising biodynamic management and specialises specifically in composting, which cools and sustainably strengthens the soil. Yields from the old vines are extremely low, just 12-18 hectolitres per hectare on average - in stark contrast to conventional farms that rely on mass production. But this radical approach pays off: Matassa's natural wines are hedonistic masterpieces that are stirring up the wine world with their casual personality and filigree.

Tom Lubbe is radically stringent in his use of soil greening, which leads to an interesting effect: the drastic drop in alcohol content. Within 15 years, he was able to reduce it by a total of 3%. His vision is to produce wines with a cool style and high tension on the palate.