Wines

The harvest of the white grapes is conducted in the early morning hours when the weather is still cool so that the beginning moments of fermentation can be closely controlled. The fermentation occurs in tank as does the élevage. The wine rests on the fine lees with occasional batonnage being done before the wine is bottled during the spring following the harvest. The result is a crisp, dry white with distinct Sauvignon varietal character.

The Viognier cuvée is handled in a manner similar to that of the Sauvignon Blanc: early morning harvest to take advantage of the cool morning hours, fermentation and élevage in tank, contact with the fine lees and some batonnage; bottling takes place during the spring season following harvest. The Viognier yields are in the neighborhood of 50 hectoliters per hectare.

The “Sentinelle” cuvée is the more precocious of the two reds produced at Massiac. The tannins are more supple and the fruit a touch sweeter, more forward and less rustic than its companion. Fermentation and élevage are in tank. The wine is bottled within a year of the harvest. The blend is three-quarters Syrah and one-quarter Carignan.

This is the most important wine of the estate, a serious red vinified to reflect its capacity to age. The grapes are harvested at a point of slight “surmaturité” which captures the profound scents and flavors of the surrounding hillside “garrigue”. The cuvaison continues for at least a month; then, the wine is racked into tank for aging. The wine is bottled twenty to twenty-four months after harvest. As the wine ages in bottle, it develops enticing notes of juniper, rosemary and thyme as well as the savory flavors of wild berries and a hint of the “animal” … all in all, one of the more compelling values in our portfolio.

Pure Syrah from this Minervois grower’s best parcel in the gently sloping foothills that lead to the Mediterranean coast which is not terribly distant. The limestone and clay soil, infused with silex and marble, has particularly good drainage which accounts for the superior concentration that Massiac achieves in its wines. As well, the site is exposed to the winds that sweep north from the Mediterranean and the cooling northwest wind coming from the mountains known as Le Cers which consistently dries the vineyard and makes it less vulnerable to the maladies of the vine. Aged 20-24 months in neutral barrels previously used in Saint-Joseph, this Syrah is remarkably poised for a Languedoc wine, with lovely smoky depth and excellent tension. Certified organic.