Domaine du Vent
I had been promising to visit Nathalie and Benjamin Boyer at Domaine du Vent in Fitou for a while, but various things had intervened. I finally made it, and it was certainly worth the hour or so’s windy drive down the motorway.
They have always worked in wine. Nathalie comes from Nimes and Benjamin from Sète, and he studied viticulture and winemaking in Beaune, while Nathalie’s studies were more commercial. And then they worked in different regions, Burgundy, Corsica, Monbazillac and finally in Châteauneuf du Pape and the southern Rhône, and then it was the moment to do their own thing. They looked for vineyards between Nimes and Perpignan, and liked what they saw in Fitou. Also Fitou was affordable and it is near the sea and the mountains, with the hillsides of garrigues. And they wanted to work organically. The previous owner was selling as he had no children to take over and he had worked conventionally, and sold his wine under a different name.
Nathalie and Benjamin liked the idea of where the wind takes us…. considering their previously itinerant life - and the wind has taken them to Fitou. They liked the soil, clay, sand and schist, giving fruit and freshness to their wines. They have 15 hectares, in about ten plots, ranging from 3 hectares to 30 ares in size. A lot of them are quite isolated so they did not have to worry about neighbours and all are on the commune of Fitou. Their first organic vintage will be 2025.
They have Carignan, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, and for their small amount of white wine, Vermentino and Macabeo and they have also planted some Clairette and Carignan Blanc And also have some Muscat à petits grains and Muscat d’Alexandrie as Fitou is part of the appellation of Rivesaltes. They have never made Vin Doux Naturel before, so it is a process of discovery.
They have a traditional cellar in the centre of the village, that was built 50 years ago with five enormous vats. they are not very convenient, so they have added eggs some smaller vats. Their first vintage was 2022, and in 2023 and 2024 they had very small crops, as result of the drought. So far they sell mainly from the cellar door, and have commercial agents in France, and are beginning with the US.
There are about 36 producers of Fitou, of which nine are in the village of Fitou, with slightly more producers closer to the sea than in the mountains
Libeccio, Vermentino Pays d’Aude, la Côte Revée - 7.90€
80% Vermentino with 20% Macabeo. Named after a Corsican wind. All fermented in vat, and a little ageing on the lees. Quite a powerful Vermentino nose. Quite rounded with herbal notes and very good texture on the palate. Good acidity and a joli amer on the finish. Very good varietal character. The Macabeo gives more fat and opulence and the Vermentino notes of bay and fennel.
They have less than 1 hectare of white wine and will plant another 1.50 hectares. They feel frustrated to have so little white and feel that the appellation has completely neglected white wine. However, the appellation regulations have changed that there are no longer any ageing requirements and you no longer have to age your wine in barrel.
2024 Rosé La La L’Air - 6.95€
The name recalls a Burgundian song that is sung at just about every possible occasion in Burgundy, at many a Chablis lunch or dinner in my case. 80% Carignan and 20% Syrah. Direct pressing. Light pink with a little colour. Nicely rounded fruit on the nose and quite mouth filling. The freshness of Carignan on the finish. A refreshing finish.
2022 Fitou Marindes - 7.70€
Named after a lieu-dit. 20% Syrah to 80% Carignan. Vinified separately with an élevage in vat. Medium colour. The ripe red fruit nose of Fitou, with fruit and freshness of the palate. Nathalie talked of framboise acidulé, or raspberries with acidity. Very Carignan with a fresh finish
2022 Autan en Emporte - 12.70€
The Autan is one of the winds of Bergerac and Monbazillac. A blend of 50% Syrah, with 25% each of Grenache and Carignan. A more floral nose of Syrah, with peppery notes and black olives. Ripe fruit. Quite solid and rounded with a fresh finish. Kept in vat. They don’t do any oak ageing as they don’t especially like it.
2022 Comme un souffle une caresse - 17.80€
Mourvèdre and Grenache with a little Syrah. All in an egg for 14 months. The egg gives volume and gras to a wine, polishing the tannins. They worked with eggs in Chateauneuf. The Mourvèdre gives black fruit and floral notes. The vines are 35 years old, with low yields, grown on schist. The palate is quite solid and rich with silky tannins. Nicely rounded finish.
They commented on the maladies du bois, the various diseases caused by the drought and admitted that they had not expected drought to be such a problem. 2022 was normal year, with a lot of rain the spring. This year they have had more rain between September and February than in the whole of the previous year. But they still need more rain, like neighbouring Roussillon, which has also suffered badly from drought. They are planning to convert to biodynamic viticulture and are planting trees to provide shade, and also hedges, as windbreaks. If grass grows, they leave it. In 2022 they made 400 hls; in 2024 150 hls and in 2023 270 hls. Dramatic differences. The Grenache suffered in 2024, a small crop as a result of the knock on effect from 2023.
2023 Une pensée - 25€
Their first vintage of a very good plot of Grenache, blended with a little Mourvèdre. Elevage in an egg, so automatic batonnage. They would also like to try a jarre, or amphora for some white wine, which would be a blend of Carignan Blanc with Vermentino. Good colour quite dry spicy fruit. More depth, more rounder. Quite tannic but with good fruit.
Then we tasted the 2023 vintage of the other wines, which would be bottled soon.
2023 Marinde. Carignan and Syrah, with youthful tannins and red fruit and a fresh finish.
Autun - Syrah Grenache and Syrah, Deep colour, richer and riper and more perfumed.
Comme un souffle une caresse - Mourvèdre and Grenache with some ripe spice and a youthful backbone of tannin.,
And then vin Doux to complete the tasting:
2021 Muscat de Rivesaltes, Mistral - 9.50€
Half and half Muscat à petits grain and Muscat d’Alexandrie. They want to keep the wine fresh with a low level of sugar, about 100 gms/l, so that it is fresh and honeyed with acidity and a fresh finish.
2024 Muscat de Rivesaltes from vat - lightly and more citrus and lemony, with some honey. Elegant with a good balance.
Considering wine tourism, Nathalie offers a blending session for a small group, six to twelve people. She explains the different grape varieties and lets people play with a small quantity of wine, and at the end she bottles their blend. And you must spit. And they can say, I made this wine! C’est moi qui l’a fait!
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