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.