Matassa, VDF Cuvee Alexandria 2025

100% Muscat d'Alexandria

Cotes Catalanes, Roussillon, France

Organic certified vineyards with 65+ year-old vines. The wine comes from a single vineyard with red schist soils. Seven day, whole-cluster maceration. Aged seven months in 1000L stoneware amphora. NO ADDED SULFUR, VEGAN.

Born in New Zealand and raised in South Africa, Tom Lubbe made his way to France to intern at Domaine Gauby in the Roussillon. It was there that he met his wife, Nathalie, and decided to make a life in the small village of Calce. He founded his estate, Matassa, in 2003.

In total, 20 hectares are cultivated on lime, clay, schist, marl, black slate, and black marl soils. The vineyards are worked naturally without any chemical aids and Tom is certified organic by Ecocert. The dedication to use cover crops has completely transformed his soils and in turn the wines. Tom is convinced that the increased insect life within the soils, particularly worms, has changed the flavors of his wines. Tom has always harvested much earlier than most, usually starting with the Muscat in early August. Alongside some exceptionally low-yielding old vines, Tom has expanded into other vineyard sites with somewhat more generous yields, though still modest by regional standards.

In the cellar, the approach is equally minimal. All of Matassa's white wines undergo skin maceration, a practice Tom introduced in 2008, and everything is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and without added sulfur. Tom has also chosen to declassify all of his wines to Vin de France, stepping outside appellation regulations to maintain complete freedom in how he farms and makes wine. Matassa has become known for its lively, character-driven wines that reflect the diversity of Calce's vineyards and Tom's thoughtful, uncompromising approach.