Matassa Blanc 2022 [2 bottles max per customer]

Tom Lubbe is a Kiwi ex-pat making wine in France's Roussillon and for several decades he has been lighting up the natural wine community with his Matassa label. These wines have become more sought-after in the past few years, and we hate to tell you, but the hype is well-deserved.

His philosophy in terms of farming has always been thoughtful and non-conformist. Worms and cover crops are what he sees as the most transformative elements in keeping his land healthy; he hasn't used any sulfur since 2015. Fires exacerbated by drought conditions came for his vines in 2022, wiping out significant portions of vineyards. In August 2022 he said, "apart from the vineyards touched by fire and wild pigs it looks like a lovely year so far."

The wines have a buoyant, lighthearted bent which belies Tom's earnest vineyard work and land stewardship. They are complex and reflect terroir but this is usually overshadowed by how delicious and pleasurable they are. Matassa wines rarely fail to deliver, on their own or with sophisticated cuisine composed on small plates with tweezers. Whether at Septime, Frenchette, or in Brooklyn apartments, they bring joy to the table.

The ‘Blanc’ is Tom’s top white wine and is interestingly not named after a single vineyard site. The average vine age here is about 95 years. Grenache Gris is whole cluster direct pressed and Macabeu macerated for two weeks on skins are blended and aged on lees until bottling. This has all the trademarks of Tom’s edgy, raw winemaking with a clarity and focus you’d hope to find in a winemaker’s top cuvee. Fresh vibrant tropical citrus notes are balanced with the perfect amount of salinity and florality and rounded out by a luscious lactic note on the finish. Just try to keep your socks on!

Jonathan Kemp & Jeremy Hernandez