Millésimes
Matissat 2020
[600 BOTTLES PRODUCED]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2020 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
Mild winter period and early budding. Very dry and warm vintage similar in some ways to the 2009. High summer temperatures. June heatwave. Cooler August and some rain in September. Very dry growing season led to significant drops in volume from the previous year which itself was lower than the norm ( by 20%-30%). (Matissat 2020 Vintage presentation)
Jeb Dunnuck 93-96/100
..the 2020 Matissat is a Mourvedre-dominated release that’s closed and backward yet loaded with potential. Darker fruits, peppery herbs, graphite, and some meatiness emerge on the nose and it’s medium to full-bodied, has beautiful tannins, a balanced, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. It’s not, however, for those looking for instant gratification. It needs 3-4 years of bottle age and I suspect see its 20th birthday in fine form.”
Matissat 2019
[1595 BOTTLES – UNRELEASED]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth
2019 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
Mild winter period and early budding. Very dry and warm vintage similar in some ways to the 2009. High summer temperatures. June heatwave. Cooler August and some rain in September. Very dry growing season led to significant drops in volume from the previous year which itself was lower than the norm ( by 20%-30%). (Matissat 2019 Vintage presentation)
Jeb Dunnuck 95-97
A step up over the 2020 (at least at this early stage), the 2019 Matissat offers a rich, powerful, full-bodied style carrying ample red and blue fruits as well as peppery herbs and floral notes. Ultra-fine, pure, and polished, with both richness and elegance, this thrilling Languedoc
Matissat 2018
[800 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2018 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
Mild wet winter and sping lead to significant losses due to mildew with heavy rain during May and June. Around 30% of crop was lost at La Pèira due to mildew in 2018. July and August saw warm summer weather return. A warm August and September led to an unpressured harvest. (Matissat 2018 Vintage presentation)
Jeb Dunnuck 96
Utterly brilliant, and my favorite 2018 from this remarkable estate in the Languedoc, the 2018 Matissat reveals a ruby, almost opaque hue to go with a magical perfume of black raspberries, charcuterie, dried spice, bouquet garni, and flowery incense. Rich and medium to full-bodied, this beauty offers silky tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish, and I’d put it up against anything from the South of France in 2018. It needs air to show at its best and is going to evolve for 10-15 years, although there’s no need to delay gratification, as it shows the up-front, charming style of the vintage beautifully
Matissat 2017
[850 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth. (Matissat 2017 presentation)
2017 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
Cold winter with good rainfall was followed by a warm spring. A cooler April here, as in Bordeaux and Burgundy, affected budburst and the flowering. A dry summer and low rainfall (again as with the 2017 vintage in Bordeaux and Burgundy) saw small berries resulting in reduced yields. Where the Hérault faired quite differently to other regions was the fair weather over the harvest period. This produced fine-quality wines but in small quantities.
Wine Advocate 95-97
The most impressive wine I tasted during my visit to this exemplary estate was the 2017 Matissat, which was still in a single demi-muid. A blend of 70% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah and 10% Grenache, it displays knockout aromas of red raspberries and seductive vanilla. Full-bodied, lush and creamy, this looks to be even better than the impressive 2016. It’s a true Wow! wine, with tremendous richness, complexity and length. Drink Date: 2020 – 2030 (95-97) Wine Advocate
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96
A wine to be sought out by the Mourvèdre lovers out there, the 2017 Matissat (100% Mourvèdre brought up in demi-muids) offers a terrific perfume of black raspberries, spiced meat, pepper, and earth that develops beautifully with time in the glass. As with all these 2017s, it’s slightly more elegant and streamlined than usual, yet it gains richness and depth with time in the glass. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, with silky tannins, it’s going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and should keep for 15-20 years.
Matissat 2016
[1326 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2016 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
A mild dry winter led to anearly budding and cool spring. This was followed by a warm dry summer (at the time said to be the dryest since 1944). Yields were down and quality said to be high espcially in appellations situated farthest from the sea. (Matissat 2016 vintage presentation)
Jeb Dunnuck (95 - 97)
The deepest colored of the three wines in this report, the 2016 Matissat is a Mourvèdre-dominated cuvée raised all in barrels. This smoking good barrel sample is absolutely loaded with notions of cured meats, black currants, crushed rocks, game, and graphite. Deep, full-bodied, and powerful, it has no hard edges, a seamless texture, and building tannin. It’s up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.
Wine Advocate 94
Cedar and vanilla notes accent red fruit on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate delivers flavors of raspberries and mushroomy-savory notes. Silky, long and elegant, it’s slightly more quaffable than the La Peira at this young age, yet it should be equally long-lived, drinking well for a decade or so. 94 Wine Advocate
Matissat 2015
[1200 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2015 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
Early, hot vintage with dry growing conditions producing deep, rich, full-bodied wines with at the same time a purity of fruit and sound, tannic structure.
Andrew Jefford 18.5
deep but not opaque; v legg.y.. sweet beguiling lifted seductive scents … how can Mourvèdre be this attractive? Meat but honey too! And there’s thyme in there. Glorious. Thick, detaining, provocative, such a difficult charm but irresistible nonetheless, peaches and Labrador … deep, spicy, long, rich, subtle, mouth filling but very finely polished; sumptuous and engaging. Buffed and honed to perfection. Lovely depth, poise, thrust. Super complexity — that’s really where the Mourvèdre shows through. I challenge anyone to try this and not say that this is really a Grand Cru of the Languedoc … An awesomely fine Matissat. Every spice is there; every root is there; every herb is there, and they’ve all socked into a lovey meaty-deep frame which is also very sweet, sumptuous, buffed and long. Totally admirable. Mourvèdre works so well here … it has to be the future … Will be interesting to see how the secondary market filters La Peira and Matissat when they are both out there and recognised and traded … in 30 years … 18.5 Andrew Jefford
Wine Advocate 93-95
The 2015 Matissat is Mourvèdre-dominated and will see two years in barrel, some of which are new. Minerals, blackcurrants, smoked earth and iron all emerge from this thick, rich, mouth-coating 2015 that has ripe tannin and a big finish. There’s enough fruit and depth here to offer some pleasure on release, but short-term cellaring should be the name of the game. 93-95
Matissat 2011
[800 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2011 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
A good deal of replenishment in the winter rain led to a warm spring and early growing season. A cooler summer and perfect August and September meant the 2011 vintage delivered ripe but approachable wines. (Matissat 2011 presentation)
Wine Advocate 95/100
A cuvee the was first introduced in 2007 (and I believe will not be produced in 2012 or 2013), the 2011 Matissat is a tiny production, 100% Mourvedre effort that’s aged all in barrel. Blockbuster stuff, with massive kirsch, licorice, spiced meats and graphite aromas and flavors, this puppy hits the palate with a massive core of fruit, full-bodied concentration and depth, and a rock star finish. Approachable now given its exuberant personality, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it still drinking beautifully at age 20. One of reference point producers in the Languedoc, and in my view, easily one of the top estates in all of France, La Peira was created in 2004 by composer Rob Dougan Jeb Dunnuck
Jancis Robinson - 17.5
Firm transparent deep crimson. Showing the mineral side of this wine at the moment. Delicate but sweet and seductive too. Very appealing. Transparent. This doesn’t taste like a 14.5% wine. Very clean, pure and driven. Great energy. Jancis Robinson – 17.5
Matissat 2010
[800 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2010 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
2010 can be seen in some ways to mix qualities of the 2008 and 2009 vintage. Good spring rains, moderate early temperatures, lead to a growing season in the Terrasses du Larzac of warm days and fresh cool nights. (Matissat 2010 presentation)
Wine Advocate 96+
In the same ballpark, yet darker and more savoury, the 2010 Matissat is locked and loaded, with copious blackcurrant, kirsch, graphite, dusty soil and spicy meat characteristics. It is full-bodied, broad and gorgeously textured, with rock solid concentration and length. Give it another 2-3 years and enjoy it over the following 12-15 years. One of reference point producers in the Languedoc, and in my view, easily one of the top estates in all of France. Drink Date: 2016 – 2031 96+
Jeb Dunnuck Issue Date 30th Apr 2014 Source 212, The Wine Advocate
Jancis Robinson 17+
Mid crimson. Gosh – so different from the 2007! Transparent and lively and very young and racy. I think this could turn out to be a very fine wine indeed. For the moment it’s still quite chewy but there is impressive energy here.
Andrew Jefford
The 2010 seemed primitive and adolescent at this stage [2013], and still trying to resolve its personality, but full of the thorny, thrumming blackberry this variety surrenders hereabouts. – Andrew Jefford
.
Matissat 2009
[800 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2009 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
If 2008 (and 2006) appear to be cooler or more continental vintages, 2009 (with 2007) can be said to be Mediterranean one. Warm, dry conditions (at times even hot) led to ripe, concentrated, and opulent wines.
Wine Advocate 96/100
From its two barrels, the pure Mourvedre La Peira 2009 Matissat evinces bitter-sweet, iris-like perfume along with scents of purple plum, dark chocolate, beef blood, and sea breeze, all of which reprise on a lush yet finely-tannic palate, with iodine, alkali, and mouthwateringly saline traces dominating the impressively lingering finish. This ought to prove more seductive and no less intriguing than its two predecessors, as well as worth a decade’s attention. If it were not already abundantly clear, this is now one of the three or four most exciting not to mention meticulously-run properties in the Languedoc, and as such is broadcasting the message that this region’s soils and old vines harbor abundant latent grandeur whose awakening awaits only the right combination of inspiration, labor, and luck. I just hope aspiring vintners and winery owners – not to mention wine lovers – the world over are listening. 92-93/100
Andrew Jefford
The 2009 transforms that black chocolate into gratifyingly milky milk chocolate, softens the tannins and adds a spoonful of liquorice essence.
Matissat 2008
[600 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2008 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
A cooler vintage, characterized by a long, even ripening period, lead to the 2008 vintage producing approachable yet high-quality wines, with a lither, lively, fresh profile..
Andrew Jefford
“The 2008 is (like the La Pèira of that year) a much tighter, more gathered wine, with shattering concentration, Valrhona acidity, a herbal macerate.
I blind-tasted, over a couple of days recently, almost ninety of Languedoc’s finest red wines.
The tasting finished with a flight of wines whose prices march boldly into Bordeaux and Burgundy territory: La Grange des Pères 2007, La Pèira 2009, 2007 Porte du Ciel 2008 Clos des Truffiers. It was, in taste as well as in price, a battle of the sauropods, but on my scoresheet as well as for those I was tasting with, the winner was a new arrival: the 2009 Matissat from La Pèira.
It was pure Mourvèdre, but I don’t think Bandol-lovers would have recognized it, so pristine were its black fruits, and so elegantly had the garrigue allusions been incorporated. Yes, it had tiptoed right up to the tipping point, looked over — and stepped back: delicious.” – Andrew Jefford – Decanter Magazine
Jancis Robinson 17/20
Paler than the 2007 with some evolution at the rim. Very mineral and tarry on the nose. Racy and transparent. Lots of freshness. Recognisably related to the 2007 but livelier and drier. A little muscular. Not as heavy as the 2007. Very clean. Not too heavy. 14.5%
Wine Advocate 92
The all-Mourvedre, 600 bottle lot La Peira 2008 Co Matissat is even more maritime in scent and briny in flavor than its 2009 counterpart. Here the chocolate element is dark and bitter, and the pit of the plum as prominent as its flesh, making for a somewhat somber effect consistent both with its immediate 2008 siblings and with the brooding potential of this cepage. Impressions of crushed stone and bay help extend a palate-staining performance, which I would be surprised to witness flagging over the coming decade. As to what further elements will emerge from this bottling’s dark recesses, I would count myself fortunate to discover.
Matissat 2007
[400 BOTTLES]
Produced only in select years and in limited quantities, Matissat is regarded as one of France’s finest articulations of pure Mourvèdre.
• “Up with the greatest expressions of this variety in France.”
• “I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted better Mourvèdre.” – Andrew Jefford
• “A very special wine made on a very special estate.” – Jancis Robinson
• “What Mourvèdre it is!” – David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate
The tiny vineyard forms a ‘T’: the 0.424 hectares (one acre) of Bois de Pauliau creating the cross, and the 0.4 hectares of Mourvèdre de Bellefeuille forming the column, with this parcel sometimes contributing to the blend. Harvested amidst the October mists, in a season of chilled mornings, cold nights, and vine leaves turning ruby and rust, Matissat is one of France’s few 100% Mourvèdre wines. Like Nebbiolo in Barolo or Pinot Noir in Burgundy, it is a complex, age-worthy wine that rewards patience and offers remarkable depth.
2007 MILLÉSIME / VINTAGE
Early flowering, temperate summer, and a warm autumn led to lower yields in 2007, and rich ripe wines characterised too by a feeling of lift and balance.
Andrew Jefford
The 2007 pure-Mourvèdre Matissat was the greatest of its own short flight [2007-2010]: perhaps the most engagingly baroque example of this variety I have ever tasted (blackberries, mushrooms, blood, white truffle and viscera: gorgeous), and another wine that seems unlikely to die before I do.
Wine Advocate 93
300 litres of solo Mourvedre as 2007 Matissat, which was so impressive that it was decided to perpetuate a separate bottling from the parcel in question. (The name Matissat is Occitan for “subtle” or “nuanced” – not that this wouldn’t fit any of this estate’s cuvees!) There is an intriguingly maritime scent here as well as intimations of ripe plum and pungent herbs. Rich mocha and chocolate along with confitured purple plum are tinged with bay, kelp, iodine, salt, and crushed stone on a dense palate possessed of powder-fine tannins. For sumptuousness and sheer persistence this is hard to top even from within the outstanding La Peira stable, though it lacks the dynamism or floral dimension exhibited by its immediate 2007 siblings. Surely this “stealth” bottling – which has yet to be offered for sale – is going to be worth following for at least another half dozen years. 93 Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson
Still very dark crimson. Direct blackberry essence on the nose. Sweet and subtle. Smudgy liquorice edge. Flattering and round and with almost melted tannins though there’s a little chew on the end. Very luscious indeed but too low in acidity to refresh. Just a little overripe. 14.5%
