Matassa Rouge VdF 2023 1500ml Magnum

Wine description for Matassa Rouge VdF 2023 1500ml Magnum by Matassa

Character

Tom Lubbe, the South African-New Zealand winemaker behind Matassa, is one of Roussillon’s quiet revolutionaries. His wines are not loud statements – they are whispers from ancient land. The Matassa Rouge 2023 embodies a philosophy of restraint: minimal intervention in the cellar, maximum attention in the vineyard. With just 11.5% alcohol, this wine demonstrates that southern France can also speak softly – cool, precise, alive. The magnum bottle is not merely a format, but a promise: greater ageing potential, slower development, greater depth.

Terroir & Origin

Roussillon, wedged between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, is one of France’s oldest wine regions – raw, sun-drenched and marked by wild beauty. Matassa works around the village of Calce, where ancient slate and granite soils lend the vines minerality and tension. The Mediterranean climate is tempered by cool mountain winds, which gave the 2023 vintage remarkable freshness despite the heat. These soils tell a story that no oenologist could invent.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Carignan – long underestimated, today rediscovered – is in the old vines of Roussillon a grape variety of extraordinary expressiveness. It brings structure, depth and an earthy spice, which in young wines can sometimes seem harsh, but with time matures into great elegance. Lubbe vinifies with a minimalist approach: spontaneous fermentation, minimal sulphur, careful maturation. The result is a wine that lives, breathes and evolves – exactly what a good Carignan from old vines should do.

Food Pairing Suggestions

The vibrant acidity and earthy spice of the Carignan make this wine a versatile table companion. Recommended with grilled lamb with Provençal herbs, lentil stew with smoked sausage, mushroom risotto or a rustic charcuterie board with olives and aged cheese. The magnum invites long, convivial evenings – and that is perhaps the best food pairing suggestion of all.