Tom Lubbe makes wine at the foot of the Pyrenees, not far from Calce in the Côtes Catalanes. He founded Domaine Matassa in 2003 and, over the years, his wines have gained a loyal following that pays tribute to his expertise. Born in South Africa and raised in New Zealand, Tom wanted to work in a hot climate, compatible with his previous experience of winemaking. Having worked with Louise Hofmeyer (at the time, the only estate in South Africa using exclusively indigenous yeasts), he went on to work a 3 month internship at Domaine Gauby in Calce. Gérard Gauby invited him back for three more vintages as a cellar helper, during which time he met Gérard’s sister, Nathalie, who he married and now has two children with. Tom makes wines that he likes to drink himself, ‘pale reds and dark whites’ which offer a freshness to combat the hot, heavy climate in Roussillon. To deal with this climate, Tom harvests earlier than most – resulting in wines with a low ABV (rarely above 12%) that adds to their freshness. In Tom’s words ‘real wine is taking additives out of the equation and putting grapes to the front’ and he considers soil health a fundamental component not only of winemaking but farming in general, and of utmost importance to our health and to the preservation of the planet. If you’re keen to hear more on this topic, head to his profile on offgrid.wine for a glimpse of our visit to his winery.
Olla Blanc ’23 is made up of 50/50 Macabeu and Muscat Petit Grain; a very fresh, skin contact wine that falls somewhere between a white and an orange. The vines grow around 600 meters above sea level on limestone and red clay, and the juice is fermented in concrete. It’s a wine that balances tannins reminiscent of chamomile tea with fresh aromas of ripe peach and apricot. Plenty of grip and vibrancy make this instantly recognisable as a Matassa wine. Drink anywhere from fridge cold to 14° and serve the last glasses gently to avoid sediment at the end of the bottle. Delicious with roasted cauliflower, hummus and fresh parsley.