Domaine de la Combe au Mas ‘Rico’ Rouge 2022

Location: France, Rhône, Ventoux

Winemaker: Thomas Ayoun & Marie-Sophie Jullien

Grapes: 80% Syrah and 20% of the ends of press juices of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Vermentino and Clairette

Soil: Clay-limestone, sand

Winemaking: All of the grapes come from vines grown organically, planted on clay-limestone soils, and harvested by hand. Vinification: destemming and 24h of maceration of the Syrah, that is directly blended with the press juices of the white varieties. Aging in 2000-liter terracotta amphorae for 6 months. Neither fined nor filtered, bottled at the Estate with just a tiny pinch of sulfur.

From the Importer Jeffrey Alpert Selections: Thomas Ayoun and Marie-Sophie Jullien have proudly brought attention the Ayoun family mas at Domaine de la Combe au Mas. Located at the foot of Mont Ventoux in the commune of Mormoiron, Thomas and Marie- Sophie farm their 8 hectares according to a philosophy that emphasizes organics, polyculture, and biodiversity. While their first vintage was only released in 2019, Thomas and Marie-Sophie are by no means strangers to winemaking: Thomas has worked as cellar master at Domaine des Garances, Château de la Font du Loup, and more recently at Domaine des Escaravailles in Rasteau. Marie-Sophie has garnered plenty of experience herself working at her family domaine La Ferme Saint-Martin. Thomas’s decision return to his village of Mormoiron marks an exciting chapter for the young oenologist. Four of the eight hectares Thomas and Marie-Sophie farm have been passed down from Thomas’s parents. The remaining vines are either rented, or have been abandoned. All vineyard work is completed according to organic/biodynamic principles. They are currently awaiting certification. The domaine is situated in a unique microclimate wherein the descending cold air currents from Mont Ventoux deliver a notable freshness to the wines. All grapes are harvested entirely by hand, ferment using native yeasts only, and mature in century-old amphorae that Thomas sourced from the south of Spain.