September 2024. Mas de Daumas Gassac, Aniane, France.
The 2024 vintage in France has proven to be challenging. It has been reported as the wettest spring since 2008. Burgundy, in particular, experienced significant rainfall and was hit hard by aggressive mildew. Frost and hail also caused considerable damage, with Bordeaux vineyards suffering on July 11th from hailstones the size of golf balls. Champagne was similarly impacted by frost and hail during spring. And Languedoc was not spared, with a cooler-than-usual final two weeks in August, followed by rain over the first weekend of September.
At Mas de Daumas Gassac, by the time I arrived on the 7th of September, all the white grapes and the special selection red grapes, including Syrah and Carignan, had already been harvested. However, the Guibert family decided to pause the harvest, waiting for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc to reach perfect ripeness. This pause turned out to be a stroke of luck for me, as Basile took me to their laboratory at the new winery, where they are working on a parallel project with his brother Roman, separate from Mas de Daumas Gassac’s flagship wine, which is primarily overseen by Samuel and the cellar master, Philippe Michel.
The family is developing a new estate, and I had the privilege of witnessing the confidential beginnings of two cuvées created by Basile Guibert: one a light, fruit-forward wine made from a delicate infusion of red grapes, and the other a more powerful, gastronomic wine.
I was involved in various winemaking tasks, from pumping over to devatting. We also did a lot of “mouillage,” a gentle process of pumping over to keep the cap (the grape skins that float to the top of the fermenting juice) moist, improving oxygenation and preventing mould growth. A key takeaway from working with Basile was that, much like in a Michelin-starred restaurant, cleanliness is crucial. A lot of time is spent scrubbing floors and disinfecting equipment between tasks. Pre-fermentation tastings were another critical aspect, where after conducting tests on alcohol levels, acidity, and temperature (often handled by Marie, the oenologist), we would taste the grape juice to assess potential flavours and detect any faults.
When Basile decided it was time to press the must, devatting began. After a late night of wine and celebration, I can confirm that devatting is quite a physical challenge, especially early in the morning!
Spending time at the winery allowed me to appreciate the decisions made by winemakers, who, to me, are akin to artists. Working with outstanding grapes like Syrah, Carignan, and Cabernet Sauvignon, the resulting wine reflects both what they love to drink and their personalities.
The team is surrounded by skilled individuals, including Philippe Michel, who collaborated closely with Aimé Guibert, and Marie Durand, who is pursuing a master’s in oenology. Marie was experimenting with three small Syrah batches using a yeast strain that could lower alcohol levels—a critical study considering the challenges posed by global warming. Even special guests, such as Sylvain Pataille’s assistant, Aurélien Petit, made appearances.
This incredible experience also taught me practical skills, like setting up grape belt elevators, destemmers, and pumps for processing the grapes after harvest.
The work was highly physical and required my full attention, as even the smallest actions could significantly impact the final product. But I’m proud—like my friends Théo, Toma, and Jasmine, who also assisted—that I was part of this, and I’m eagerly anticipating the release of the final wines! Roman Guibert was working on a separate project of cuvées, but I won’t reveal any more secrets – I’ll leave the world to anticipate the exciting surprises these wines will bring when they hit the market.
I worked primarily with Basile until the grape harvest resumed, and then Samuel called me to join the next round of adventures at Mas de Daumas Gassac…