Meet the producers: Laurent Roger and Melissa Ingrand
Laurent's dad had 40 hectares and sold 37 of them back in 2000. He changed career but kept 3 hectares. The Grenache have been planted by Laurent's granddad in 1949. Laurent used to work at the Verre Volé for few years and then he went to learn winemaking with Alain Castex (Le Casot des Mailloles). In October 2017 he took over with Melissa his father 3hectares. All wines are made without any use of chemicals, are unfined and unfiltered and not sulphured.
DOMAINE mataburro
DOMAINE
Mataburro
WINEMAKERs
Laurent Roger and Melissa Ingrand
VINEYARD
3 hectares
COUNTRY, REGION, SUBREGION
Rivesaltes, Pyrénées-Orientales, France
Laurent Roger and Melissa Ingrand’s project is named for the railway line that runs just behind their vines. The first in the Perpignan region, on its opening day in 1910 two unfortunate donkeys were killed by trains. Mataburro means “donkey killer”.
Laurent’s family were winemakers and his father farmed 40ha of vines before selling all but three in 2000. Laurent’s journey into natural wine started while working at La Verre Volé for few years. He decided to get his hands dirty and, after studies with Alain Castex of Le Casot des Mailloles, he and Melissa took over his father’s vines in October 2017.
The three hectares are in one piece in Rivesaltes. Old Grenache vines planted by his grandfather in 1949 and young Merlot planted 30 years ago by his father.
To have maximum soil life he does not plough, using green manure planting instead. Vineyards are worked organically with the only treatments used sulphur, copper and some essential oils. Winemaking uses native yeast with no fining or filtration.
Soils are mostly clay on limestone with some galets roulés for the old Grenache vines and deep clays for the Merlot. Climate is Mediterranean with maritime influence. The wines retain great delicacy and freshness, the mark of Laurent’s teacher shining through.
Linear, mineral and fresh, with more matter and substance in the dry 2022 vintage: dynamic and complex.
Style: Red
Producer: Mataburro
Country: France
Region: Rousillon
Grapes: Grenache
Sulphur: none added
ABV: 12.5%