2021 Maxime Magnon Corbières Blanc La Bégou

WINEMAKER: Maxime Magnon
REGION: Languedoc, FR
VARIETAL: Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc
VITICULTURE: Certified Organic/Biodynamic

"This is produced from 90% Grenache Gris and 10% Grenache Blanc. Stylistically these channel Ganevat if you can believe that, they have similar cut and verve - piercingly fresh and floral with faint hints at nashi pear and stone, the fact that the grapes were grown at altitude keeps this wine tight, fine and mineral. In fact you could be forgiven for thinking that this had a good slug of the finest Chablis in it such is it's moreish flavour and mineral nature. This is superb." - Andrew Guard

The Corbières AOC is a large and geographically diverse one, extending from coastal plains along the Mediterranean (home to massive tracts of ultra-productive vineyards) to the foothills of the Pyrenées in the south and west of the zone. Magnon’s 14 hectares of vines are situated in the latter “Hautes-Corbières” (upper Corbières) sub-zone, at elevations reaching up to 500 meters. The steep slopes here are characterized by an extremely thin topsoil over a rocky mix of limestone and schist, and it should go without saying that all vineyard work is done by hand. 

In 2002, Burgundy native Maxime Magnon settled in the Corbières region and more precisely in Villeneuve-les-Corbières. Before that he worked with Jean Foillard, Philippe Valette and Thierry Allemand, three big names! further he was inspired by Didier Barral, his neighbour, he reintroduced goats, donkeys and cows (Chamomile the cow is pictured in this email). The vines are manually tended with the help of a small tracked vehicle (like Barral). In order to preserve the soils, neither pesticides nor insecticides are used. And from November to mid-April, the animals graze among the vines, which encourages microbial activity in soils.