A feather-light, profoundly layered natural wine from the Roussillon. Tom Lubbe crafts a juicy red wine from 90% Grenache Gris and 10% Grenache Noir with just 10% alcohol, which impresses with its freshness and saline minerality.
Bottler: Domaine Matassa, 10 Route d'Estagel, 66600 Calce / France
In the glass
Colour
Cloudy garnet red with vibrant violet reflections.
Nose
An alluring nose of crushed raspberries on ice, sour cherries and blueberry jelly. These are joined by wild mint, sage, rosemary as well as yeasty notes and a hint of incense, rosehip tea and liquorice.
Palate
On the palate, the wine reveals itself to be supremely refreshing with invigorating acidity and a polished, ripe tannin structure. Delicate spicy accents meet pronounced minerality and abundant salinity.
Character
A stimulating, highly drinkable wine with a bittersweet interplay and remarkable lightness. Its low alcohol level makes it the ideal companion for carefree moments of enjoyment.
Pairing
Spicy vegetable stir-fries with Mediterranean herbs, marinated sardines or tapas selections with olives and sun-dried tomatoes.
Notes
The three-week maceration lends the wine its distinctive texture and aromatic complexity. With just 10% alcohol and an assemblage of Grenache Gris and Grenache Noir, Tom Lubbe presents an unusual, refreshing interpretation of the Roussillon.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Hazy garnet red with violet reflections. The slight haze reveals that this wine has been neither filtered nor fined – it arrives in the glass just as it left the cellar.
Nose
A bouquet that instantly transports you to the hills around Calce: crushed raspberries, sour cherries and blueberry jelly meet the wild herbal world of the garrigue – mint, sage, rosemary. Beneath these aromas hover rosehip tea, a hint of incense and liquorice. Yeasty notes recall its unadulterated origins.
Palate
Served lightly chilled, the Tattouine reveals its full charm: vibrant acidity, polished tannins, accompanied by a saline minerality that speaks of the schist and marl soils surrounding Calce. The texture is fine, almost ethereal – a red wine that drinks like a white, yet possesses the depth of the Roussillon.
Finish
Long and precise, with persistent freshness and an aftertaste of red berries and herbs. Its low alcohol level of just 10% makes this wine a rare pleasure: one is immediately tempted to pour another glass.
Terroir & origin
The vines for the Tattouine grow on the hills around Calce and Espira-de-l’Agly, partly at altitudes of 500 to 600 metres. The soils comprise schist, marl and black shale. Surrounded by Mediterranean maquis, cedar trees and wild rosemary, the grapes ripen here to bring freshness rather than power into the bottle.
Grape variety & vinification
The cuvée of 90% Grenache Gris and 10% Grenache Noir was fermented on the skins for three weeks – a practice that Tom Lubbe has perfected over many years. Since 2015, not a drop of sulphur has been used in the cellar. Spontaneous fermentation, no filtration: the wine remains true to itself.
Food recommendations
Ideal with grilled vegetables, charcuterie or a plate of Pata Negra. Also a revelation alongside pizza with fresh herbs or marinated sardines.
Special features
With only 10% alcohol, the Tattouine ranks among the lightest red wines in France – without sacrificing substance. Tom Lubbe harvests early, sometimes as soon as early August, to preserve this freshness. A wine that demonstrates what the Roussillon can taste like when one does not surrender to the sun.
EN 
DE 
FR 
IT 
