Sunshine & Salt: New Mataburro 2023

 

We are so pleased to have the invigorating, Mediterranean wines of Melissa & Laurent at @mataburro.vins ready in time for summer, from a very bright 2023 vintage.

Despite the third consecutive year of drought in Perpignan - they're averaging less than 250ml of rainfall in total each year - they were blessed with good rain at the crucial point before harvest, it's lent the wines real levity and freshness: just as Laurent & Melissa prefer!

As always, work in the vines is deeply committed, with no ploughing and prioritising green manure to help the soil temperature. The pair have a keen understanding that their soil health is the biggest tool in their arsenal to combat climate change, and are working incredibly hard in the vines to do the best they can, with very little water.

In the cellar, the processes are the same as usual. For the reds, short, whole-bunch macerations are pressed very gently and raised mainly in steel and fibreglass, all strictly no additions. For more details on the new releases, head to the blog via our bio. We are really thrilled with this special vintage and hope you enjoy it too. Vibrant with fruit, delightfully nimble and mineral, a true testament to their hard work and delicate touch.

AVAILABLE NOW

SKINS

NEW 2023 - Memo - Macabeu
Hand harvested from 70-year-old vines grown by the river on alluvial soils, once farmed by Laurent's grandfather. A whole bunch infusion in some press-juice for five days with very little extraction, pressed gently to tank for ageing for 6 months. 23 is a cracker: high-toned tropical fruit, fleshy, with a nice touch of grip and great saline minerality.

ROSE

NEW 2023 - Mura Mura - Grenache, Merlot, Muscat
Red varieties from the home vineyard on clay-limestone (80-year-old Grenache and 40 year old Merlot) macerated for 24 hours as whole bunches, assembled with Muscat whole-bunch macerated for 5 days. Pressed gently to stainless steel tank, bottled six months with no additions. Bright with sour cherry, fraises de bois, crushed violets and pithy grapefruit, long, direct and energised.

RED

NEW 2023 - Idoine - Merlot
Merlot from the home vineyard on clay-limestone, whole bunch macerated for 4 days with no extraction, pressed gently to tank, aged for 6 months, bottled with no additions. Dark-fruited but juicy, black cherry and cassis up front, framed with a lovely tart snap of tannin and thrilling chinotto bitterness to close.

NEW 2023 - Quartet - Grenache Noir, Syrah, Muscat
A 4-5 day whole bunch maceration of varieties grown in the hills on schist, a site they have worked for the last couple of years. No extraction, pressed gently, matured in concrete for 6 months. A new iteration of this cuvee, incredibly beautiful in 23, super pure-fruited and mineral, heady with dark berries and roses. Nimble, precise and joyful.

NEW 2020 - Otium Reserve - Grenache
A single-barrel of Otium from the 2020 vintage - aged 12 months in barrel on the lees with no topping up, bottled with no additions. Otium 2020 was macerated as a whole bunch infusion for 10 days, basket-pressed: this portion direct to barrel.

FOR WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: HELLO@WINESUTB.COM

 

Mataburro 2022

 

MATABURRO - MELISSA INGRAND & LAURENT ROGER
FRANCE, PERPIGNAN, RIVESALTES

After a little rest over summer, we’re thrilled to release the 2022 vintage from Laurent & Melissa at Mataburro.

Despite a difficult, dry vintage in Rivesaltes in 2022 - less than 350ml of rainfall in total - good rains at the crucial point before harvest has lent the wines a real lift, and are as fresh as Laurent & Melissa would like!

As always, work in the vines is minimal, with no ploughing and an increase in cover crops and green manure to help the soil temperature in recent years as the climate continues to warm. In addition to the three hectares of Laurent’s family vines - plantings of Grenache and Merlot mostly clay on limestone - they now farm a small 70-year-old parcel of Macabeu by the river on alluvial soils, and another of 70-year old Mourvedre on a small hill, over black schist.

In the cellar, the processes have remained the same: short, whole bunch macerations are pressed very gently and raised mainly in steel and fibreglass, with an amphora and barrels reserved for TOTEM.

We have the following wines available now in very small quantities:

AVAILABLE NOW

WHITE

NEW 2022 - Memo - Macabeu
70-year old vines by the river, 5-day maceration

ROSE

NEW 2022 - Mura-Mura - Merlot, Grenache, Muscat
One night of maceration, vines 30-70 years old

RED

NEW 2022 - Otium - Grenache
80-year old vines, 3-day maceration

NEW 2022 - Idoine - Merlot
30-40 year old vines, 4-day maceration

NEW 2022 - Quartet - Mourvèdre, Grenache
70-year old vines, 5 days maceration

NEW 2022 - Totem - Mourvèdre, Grenache (Very Limited)
70-year old vines, aged in barrel and amphora for 6 months.

FOR WHOLESALE ENQUIRIES: HELLO@WINESUTB.COM