Mas de Daumas Gassac "Frizante" Rose, Laungedoc, France 2023

FROM BEAUNE IMPORTS

THE WINE: This unique sparkling wine is made from bleeding the vats of the Domaine red, fermenting it until almost dry and bottling to capture the natural spritz from the fermentation. The nose shows notes of violets, cherries and other red fruit while in the mouth it has nice mineral expression, crisp red fruit and nice fresh acidity. Low in alcohol (11%), this is the ideal summer picnic sparkler and is very food friendly.

THE PRODUCER: For more than thirty years, the Guibert family and Mas de Daumas Gassac have stood at the forefront of the quality revolution in the Languedoc. Once a region only known for its bulk wine production, today it serves as a hot spot for young wine producers who are eager to show the potential of its complex terroirs. And at the heart of this movement is the godfather of Languedoc’s greatest crus, Aimé Guibert.

Aimé and his wife purchased the land in 1971, and under the mentorship of famous Bordeaux enologist Emile Peynaud, they set about growing and bottling the Languedoc’s first great cult wine, in spite of their wines’ humble appellation of Vin de Pays de l’Hérault.

While the intensity of the Languedoc sun can be a challenge to most vignerons, Mas de Daumas Gassac enjoys an exceptionally cooler climate, influenced by the breezes from the Cévennes Mountains to the north, which slow the ripening of the grapes and aid in the retention of natural acidity. The Guibert family respects the natural, forested landscape by planting vineyards in small lots. Although the land has been farmed without any chemicals or pesticides for thousands of years, the Guiberts, like most purists, are quick to sidestep categorization as “organic.” They’ve planted the valley to some 40 grape varietals over 50 hectares of land, achieving yields as low as 33 to 37 hl/ha. Today, Aimé’s son Gaël is responsible for the care of the vines.