Mas de Daumas Gassac, Blanc, 2021

Famous for its Grands Vins, the Mas de Daumas Gassac has been a family owned vineyard for more than 40 years and belongs to the Guibert family. It is set in a wild and enchanting valley, close the magnificent romanesque abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. 50 hectares of a deep, well drained soil, free from any chemical fertilisers. It is this fabulous terroir, similar to the best parts of Burgundy, that Henri Enjalbert, the great Professor of Geology at Bordeaux university, rediscovered in the 1970’s. A delicate piece of music! A gentle, nurturing climate has given it richness and balance. The winter was cold but not freezing, without any snow. It was followed by a spring with just the right amount of rain, resulting in a vigorous start to the growth cycle. 2020 was characterized by mild conditions, from pruning to bud break, and then from flowering to the harvest. There were no heatwaves or excessive spikes in temperature over the summer, with an average of 28°C during the day and magical, cool nights (10°-12°C) in the Gassac Valley. Finally, a perfectly-timed storm on 15 August, a stroke of luck they have not had since 2012, turned the vintage into something genuinely exceptional. By the 1st October, vinification of the red and white grand vins was complete, and as they tasted them during this process, a “classicism” emerged, reminiscent of the property’s early vintages.