Great Blue Sea Wines
Great Blue Sea Wines

MAS COMBARELA

Terrasses du Larzac, France

This artisanal domaine was born of a passion for wine. Mas Combarèla was founded in 2016 by Olivier Faucon. Focusing on quality, he chose low-yield organic viticulture and he is in permanent search for finesse and harmony for his wines. Olivier has set up a wine cellar with modern and high-performance equipments, allowing tailor-made selected plots winemaking, for the elaboration of qualitative fine wines.

Olivier is considered to be one of the rising stars of the appellation (Hugh Johnson pocket wine guide), we do agree with that and are proud to import his delicious wines to the Californian wine lovers !

 

Located North-West of Montpellier, the Terroirs of the Terrasses du Larzac benefit from ideal climatic conditions, thanks to the freshness coming down from the 1000 meters high mountain plateau of the Larzac.

To reveal these prestigious Terroirs, the winemakers of the Terrasses du Larzac use predominantly a range of five major Languedoc grape varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Carignan) to match with the characteristics of each soil. However here the soils take priority over the grape variety. Then the meticulous work of the winemaker, on blending and long maturing, crafts unique signature wines.

Olivier’s wines can be found in many 3 Michelin stars restaurants like Alexandre Mazzia ❃ ❃ ❃ (Marseille), La Marine ❃ ❃ ❃ (Noirmoutier),  Maison Wenger ❃ ❃ (Switzerland), La Table du Valrose ❃ ❃  (Switzerland), La Pyramide ❃ ❃ (Vienne), La Table Franck Pelux ❃ ❃ (Switzerland), Pages ❃ (Paris), Hotel Villeroy ❃ (Paris), and many others…

DES SI ET DES MI BLANC 2022

Appellation: PGI Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert

Grape Varieties: 85% Grenache Blanc,5% Carignan Blanc, 10% Vermentino

Terroir: Limestone and clay soils from the Quartenary era (Riss) made of alluvial deposits of the Hérault river which carried cryoclastic limestone gravels and pebbles. Hillside plots gently sloping, with down-flowing winds

Yield: 30 hl / ha

Alcohol: 13.5%

Winemaking: Organic viticulture. Indigenous yeast starter. Hand picked Harvests, at dawn to keep the freshness, direct pressing, cold settling, traditional vinification in thermo-regulated stainless-steel vat. Co-fermentation of the 3 grape varieties.

Aging: 8 months mainly in stainless-steel vat, with 10% in oak barrels to enhance the wine’s texture and structure​

Notes: Grenache Blanc gives its identity to this cuvée. From 2020 it is blended with a bit of Carignan Blanc and Vermentino which reinforce its freshness and complexity. For gourmet aperitifs and culinary pairings.

Jancis Robinson : 93+ points “Certified organic. Mostly Grenache Blanc with some Carignan Blanc and Vermentino. Tasted two weeks before bottling. Pears, flowers, apples with a super-crunchy fennel and celeriac earth-root licorice finish. Gouleyant. Fragrant herbs on the finish. Long. Lots of promise.(2024-2028)”

LES VIEUX MAZETS 2021

Appellation: PGI Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert

Grape Variety: 100% Carignan

Terroir: Old vines aged 70 years, gobelet shape pruned vines, grown on limestone and clay soils, where Northerly Winds blow . Located on an ancient lacustrine plain from the Tertiary Era (Lutetian, 40 millions years old) there is various types of soils, dominated by lacustrine white limestones. The beautiful scenery is punctuated by lovely old mazets (tiny ancient house in the country

Yield: 25 hl / ha

Alcohol: 14%

Winemaking: Organic viticulture. Indigenous yeast starter. Hand-picked harvests, perfect phenolic maturity, whole destemming, temperature control, gentle vinification in stainless-steel thermoregulated vat.

Aging: 18 months in wooden tuns (large oak barrels) of several wines.

Notes: Carignan, a fabulous grape variety, one of the identities of Languedoc, is showcased solo from their almost century old vines.

Jancis Robinson : 94 points “Certified organic. Old-vine Carignan. No carbonic. The best Vieux Mazet yet! Pure, linear, focused. Tannins have beautiful discipline. The fruit is soaring, and it feels as if every molecule of wine is thrumming, brimming with life. Wow! (2023-2030)”

ODE AUX IGNORANTS 2020

Appellation: PDO Terrasses du Larzac

Grape Variety: 50% Syrah, 20% Carignan, 25 % Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre

Terroir: Altitude vineyard at 350m high dominating the Herault Valley, blown by the winds maintanting the freshness. The soils are mainly made of pure dolomitic limestones expressing intense minerality, dating from the beginning of the Jurassic Period (secondary era, about 170 million years old). Very rocky, the roots must go deep to draw their resources.

Yield: 25 hl / ha

Alcohol: 14.5 %

Winemaking: Organic viticulture. Indigenous yeast starter. Manual harvest at phenolic maturity, complete destemming, temperature control, gentle vinification in temperature-controlled stainless steel or concrete vats. Long vatting with pumping over during the fermentation phase and some punching down during the infusion phase.

Aging: 24 months aging : half in different oak barrels formats and ages, and half in concrete eggs 

Notes: The wine has a ruby color of medium intensity. The nose expresses pronounced aromas of ripe red and black fruits (blueberry, black plum, morello cherry, bigarreau), with herbaceous notes of garrigue and aromatic herbs (rosemary, bay leaf) and a mineral note of wet stone and limestone. On the palate, the wine is fleshy and fullbodied, with rich flavors of ripe red and black fruits (plum, Morello cherry, fresh black fig), notes of bitter cocoa, Sarawak pepper, black olives, and dried bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary). The tannins are powerful, velvety, and enveloping. The finish is long, A solar wine, rich, but fresh and balanced. Good aging potential...

Jancis Robinson : 93 points “Certified organic. Mostly Syrah with some Carignan and Grenache. Mouthwatering fruit. Piquant acidity. Masses of strawberry-fruited charm, cooked plums and a touch of just-lit cigar. Chewy, sturdy tannins. Seems fresher than when I tasted it six months ago! (2023-2029).”