Mattes Sabran 'La Viala' Corbieres

Grenache / Syrah / Mourvèdre

Languedoc, France

Located in the heart of Corbières, Mattes-Sabran crafts full-flavored, seductive wines from the garrigue-covered hillsides of France’s Mediterranean coast. In addition to a noble history stretching back some 1,000 years, Mattes-Sabran epitomizes all we love about the slow pace of life in the sultry south. The main house, once home to dukes, today welcomes international visitors while geese and lazy cats wander. Cicadas buzz in the afternoon heat; a well-worn table welcomes outdoor meals with shared bottles in the shade. Many of his estate vineyards are located on steep hillsides, terraced into the chalky, poor soils.  This tough terrain is peppered with galets roulés, the large, oval granite stones typical in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Reds are structured, mineral and richly perfumed, rosés floral and boldly flavored.