Zacmau Causse Marines 2017

Zacmau Causse Marines, biodynamic wine, low sulphur wine, 100% Mauzac variety.  Stunning complexity and texture, nutty, savoury, beautiful with rustic southern French foods. This is sublime drinking, dry, fresh yet complex and layered, perfect for fish with rich flavoured sauces.  They make only a few thousand bottles and the wine is a rare example of some of the unique gems still hidden in the French countryside. The vineyards at Causses Marines consist of very old vines dating back to world war two. Pascal and Virginie mainly grow indigenous grape varieties such as Mauzac, Loin de L’Oeil, Ondenc and Braucol.  They also have some plantings of Syrah. Soils are calcareous limestone on a rocky plateau. The vineyard is Demeter certified biodynamic and their philosophy is simple, look after the land and let the wines make themselves.  This mature Zacmau Causse Marines really is fascinating, complex and delicious.

Situated in Gaillac, Domaine Causse Marines is a 15 hectares wine estate managed by Patrice Lescarret and Virginie Maignien, both winemakers.

Patrice studied oenology in Bordeaux and then worked in Sancerre and Provence.  After a few years of working conventionally for others, he made the big leap and created his own estate in 1993.  He bought 8 hectares of vineyards from a retiring farmer. Virginie was a student of the ESSEC business school who quit everything to enrol in a wine school in Beaune.  After having met Patrice whilst on a brief training stint at his vineyard she never left his side again.

The vineyards at Causse Marines are made of very old vines dating back to world war two.  Pascal and Virginie mainly grow indigenous grape varieties such as Mauzac, Loin de L'Oeil, Ondenc and Braucol.  They also have some old vine plantings of Syrah.  Soils are calcareous limestone on a rocky plateau. The vineyard is Demeter certified biodynamic.  Their philosophy is simple, look after the land and let the wines make themselves.

Patrice Lescarret is one of our favourites.  He has just bought a small 'Mas' or farmhouse in the Pyrenees just south of Jurancon; in his words 'to escape'.  He is a man after our own heart, at one with nature and always in pursuit of honesty and authenticity in his life.  His delicious, imperfect wines reflect his philosophy 100%.