September 2024. Mas de Daumas Gassac, Aniane, France.
You might be wondering why I ended up there, of all places. After all, early September should have been a time to celebrate my birthday and mark ten years of living in the UK. A classic holiday lounging by a pool sounded tempting, but I dreaded the thought of boredom. Then it hit me – why not try something different, like a grape harvest? It was the perfect season, and it would give me a chance to dive into the world of winemaking before starting my WSET Level 3 course later that month.
But where to go? Naturally, I thought of the best wine I’ve ever known from my decade in Languedoc-Roussillon: Mas de Daumas Gassac. When I saw their call for volunteers on Instagram, I immediately reached out to see if they needed help with the harvest. To my surprise, Basile Guibert himself responded almost immediately.
In the 1980s, publications like *The Times* and *GaultMillau* compared Mas de Daumas Gassac to the likes of Château Latour or Lafite from Bordeaux. Esteemed wine critics like Andrew Jefford and Jancis Robinson have long sung the praises of this hidden gem, nestled in a valley between Montpellier and the Terrasses du Larzac.
The estate was founded in 1971 by Aimé Guibert and Véronique de la Vaissière. After a visit from Henri Enjalbert, a professor of geography and wine geology at the University of Bordeaux, who confirmed the site’s unique terroir, they planted vines from around the world. The first vintage came in 1978, with help from Emile Peynaud, an oenologist credited with revolutionizing winemaking in the latter half of the 20th century.
Today, the estate’s renowned red wine is an intriguing blend of Cabernet Sauvignon mixed with indigenous and rare grape varieties from southern France and beyond (even including some Neheleshol from Israel). The white wine is just as fascinating, featuring Chardonnay, Viognier, and rare varieties like Petite Arvine from Switzerland. In total, Mas de Daumas Gassac grows an astonishing 40 different grape varieties.
The terroir itself is special, composed of deep glacial sandstone and benefiting from a unique microclimate created by the Gassac River, the nearby Larzac mountain, and breezes from the Mediterranean.
After Aimé Guibert’s passing, his four sons—Samuel, Gaël, Roman, and my friend Basile—took over the estate, continuing the family’s commitment to respecting “Mother Nature” and the pure expression of the terroir. Their guiding principles are finesse, complexity, and balance. Assisting them is cellar master Philippe Michel, who has been with the estate for over 30 years. His kindness and deep knowledge make him a cornerstone of the team.
During my time there, I worked hard, but I learned so much and was proud to be part of such a remarkable adventure.
I’ll share more soon about the exciting new projects from the Guibert family, but I also want to highlight their incredible sense of hospitality.
