It’s important, I think, to put this wine in its proper context right away, lest we lose some people due to its relative obscurity: Domaine La Madura is a game-changing wine for anyone lucky enough to taste it. Perhaps no region in France gets painted with a broader brush than those along the southern coastline, but lurking about this vast expanse are some world-class (red) whales: Mas de Daumas Gassac, Mas Jullien, Léon Barral, and yes, Domaine La Madura, which for me is the signature red of the Saint-Chinian AOC.
Owner/winemaker Cyril Bourgne spent many years in Bordeaux honing his craft before testing his mettle in a wilder landscape. His time at Lynch-Bages and Château de Fieuzal is the foundation for the much more adventurous style of winemaking happening at Domaine La Madura. Each wine distills a mind-boggling patchwork of small plots into one cohesive blend—the slight variation in terroirs creates a wine greater than the sum of its parts. Organic farming methods, native-yeast ferments, and neutral oak make La Madura’s “Grand Vin” pulse with a wild energy that simply can’t be replicated. It is indeed grand, and while I’m grateful to have tried a few different vintages over the years, none comes close to the majesty of today’s ’13. This seamless blend of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, and Carignan is decidedly fresh, peppery, and dark-fruited—plusher than a red velvet cushion. Years of bottle age have only etched more detail into this masterwork, and I am bowled over by the pleasure and versatility it offers for such a reasonable price. A wine this important is rarely, if ever, this affordable—it’s an absolute must for anyone serious about great French wine.
The Saint-Chinian AOC has the longest history of winemaking in the Languedoc-Roussillon region; both Cicero and Pliny the Younger were said to be big fans. Today, the “Grand Vin” designation is reserved for wines in the second-highest tier in their (recently updated) pyramid of quality, a serious achievement when you consider the innumerable hoops that vintners need to jump through to have their wines classified. But Cyril and Nadia Bourgne don’t mind the new stratification system—their superlative wines distinguish themselves naturally. They left Bordeaux in 1998 and fell in love with the temperament, mystery, and promise of the Languedoc. Cyril’s degrees in biochemistry, viticulture/enology, and genetics all came in handy as he and Nadia revitalized their property and the surrounding ecosystem.
Domaine La Madura is a glorious patchwork of vineyards, varieties, terroirs, and exposures. Not one plot looks exactly like the next. The altitude varies from about 500 to 1000 feet and soils are a mosaic of different earths: certain plots of Mourvèdre, Syrah, Carignane, and Grenache are planted in clay and limestone, while others sprout directly from caramel-colored sandstone or crumbly schist. Those three soils create wildly different characteristics in each grape, effectively tripling the variety that Cyril can sample from for blending. Small, unique plots like these are typical of estates in the Languedoc, but La Madura’s variable landscape—from thick forest to scrubland, and back again—make for a particularly appetizing buffet of choices. The three red wines in La Madura’s lineup each represent a different facet of their property, with the Grand Vin capturing the most serious, structured, and age-worthy aspects.
The vines are subject to hot, dry Mediterranean summers bookended by mild winters. Wind plays a crucial role in cooling the various plots and Domaine La Madura’s proximity to the mountains brings a certain chilliness in the mornings and the evenings. The Bourgne’s do not spray any fungicides, herbicides, or pesticides and hold certifications for both environmental friendliness and organic viticulture. Each plot of grapes ripens in its own time and is harvested by hand into small crates, and vinified separately over 5 to 6 weeks—slow and steady. The Syrah and the Mourvèdre undergo malolactic fermentation in barrel and the final blend is aged for 12 months in neutral oak before bottling, unfined and unfiltered. The 2013 vintage is predominantly Syrah (43%) grown in all three soil types. Mourvèdre follows at 35%, Grenache at 14%, and Carignan at eight.
The 2013 Grand Vin is a regal crimson in the glass and opens steadily over a half hour of decanting. Right away I’m given the impression of enveloping depth and plushness. The nose is ripe and resinous—juniper berries, aniseed, and fields of lavender give coolness to chewy, dark fruits. It’s hedonistic and pure on the palate, chock full of black cherry pie, blueberry, leather, Middle Eastern spices, and lots of garrigue. Tannins demand your attention—less velvet and more deep-pile corduroy—but are tempered by a salty finish ringing with mineral freshness. After six years in bottle the ruggedness that accompanies a new vintage has turned sweeter, darker, and softer. It still has a long way to go, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the 2013 is drinking well in 10 years. For now, I recommend pairing with bold, spicy food like the attached Hunan beef dish. That pairing will create enough gustatory fireworks to cement La Madura and its wild, wonderful wine in your mind forever.
