Natty: September 2025
Matassa
Coume de l'Olla Blanc
Macabeu, Muscat d'Alexandrie, Muscat à Petits Grains
Roussillon, France
Tom Lubbe, an enigma of a human being, is the proprietor of the iconoclastic estate, Matassa. Tom was born in South Africa but grew up in New Zealand. He worked at the only estate in South Africa that used indigenous yeast and lower yields. However, he had a passion for Mediterranean varietals. Landing an internship at Domaine Gauby in the village of Calce kickstarted his love for Southwest France.
Gerard Gauby, of Domaine Gauby, invited Tom back for three consecutive vintages. During that time he met his wife who just so happened to be Gerard’s sister. During this time, Tom had considered moving back to South Africa but the arrival of his first child changed that idea and decided to stay in France to start his own winery, Matassa.
While Tom has been known to use Biodynamic principles, he is not certified. Instead he focuses on listening to the vineyards and providing them with what they need. Cover crops and a steadfast commitment to stay away from chemicals has increased the life of the biome around his vines.
This white wine is macerated whole cluster for two weeks before being aged in concrete. No sulfur is added to the wine at any point. The skins give a slight bitterness that balances the wine well. Notes of dried apricot and garrigue herbs are persistent in this wine.
Pairing: Grilled Fish with Salsa Verde
Fun fact: Being the avid reader he is, Tom reads a book a week.
Matassa
Coume de l'Olla Rouge
Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, Macabeu
Roussillon, France
This wine (as well as the last one) is all from a single vineyard called Coume de l’Olla. All the grapes are cofermented in concrete with only 3 days on the skins. The result is a delicate wine with concentration and complexity. Fining and filtration is not something Tom does so don’t be surprised if you find some left over sediment at the end of the bottle.
For both the rouge and the blanc we recommend standing up the wine for a couple of hours if not a full day to allow the sediment to settle to the bottom of the bottle. Unless you’re into drinking the sediment. We won’t tell you how to enjoy your wine.
Pairing: Porchetta Pork Roast
Fun fact: While attending a dinner with Tom, Trevor discovered that Tom’s favorite Bordeaux vintage is 1929.
Julien Auroux
Itineraire Bis
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
Bergerac, France
Julien Auroux is located in the extreme southeastern portion of the Bergerac Appelation. Bergerac has largely been trying to imitate the wines of Bordeaux which has watered down the legitimacy and legacy of Bergerac. Julien Aroux is facing down the future on his own terms.
With a focus on the terroir he lets nature take over when it comes to making wine and does his best to coax out the Bergerac environment in every wine.
This wine is Merlot dominant sitting at 75% of the blend with the rest being made up of Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is fully destemmed and aged in stainless steel to retain freshness and brightness. The name of the wine, Itineraire Bis, translates to alternative route which captures the essence and philosophy of Julien Aroux.
Pairing: Grilled Pork Chops with Plum BBQ Sauce
Fun fact: Although he is French, Julien trained in both Australia and New Zealand and brings many of those experiences into his winemaking.