Cuvèe Romanissa 2023 Matassa

Cuvée Romanissa 2023 – Domaine Matassa

Overview

Cuvée Romanissa 2023 is a natural red wine crafted by Tom Lubbe at his Domaine Matassa in Calce, located in the heart of Languedoc-Roussillon.
It’s made from 100% Grenache Noir, sourced from old vines growing on schist and limestone soils at over 400 meters above sea level. The grapes are hand-harvested with extremely low yields to preserve the intensity and purity of the fruit.
Romanissa is the flagship expression of Matassa’s Mediterranean soul—a wine of precision, depth, and mineral finesse, where Grenache reveals its most ethereal and elegant face.

History and Philosophy

The Romanissa vineyard takes its name from an ancient local toponym and is one of Matassa’s historic crus. Here, Tom Lubbe reinterprets Grenache Noir as a high-altitude, mineral-driven wine, far removed from the heavy styles often associated with southern France.
The Domaine works under certified organic farming (Ecocert) with selective biodynamic practices, always prioritizing soil vitality and ecosystem balance. Lubbe’s philosophy is clear: the winemaker should guide, not manipulate, letting the vineyard and vintage speak for themselves.

Vineyard Philosophy

The Romanissa vines thrive in a wild and windy landscape, where the Tramontane wind brings freshness and purity to the fruit. The soils, rich in schist and limestone, produce wines of fine tannins and marked salinity.
The vines, over 70 years old, yield very little but of extraordinary aromatic concentration. Lubbe maintains a living ecosystem, avoiding chemicals and employing natural composts, green cover crops, and herbal teas to sustain biodiversity and soil health.

Winemaking Approach

Vinification follows Matassa’s philosophy of minimal intervention. The grapes are partially destemmed and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts in concrete vats, with three weeks of maceration on the skins.
The wine then matures for 12 months in large neutral oak barrels, gaining texture and depth without oak influence. No fining, no filtration, and no added sulfur—just a pure and vibrant expression of Grenache Noir.
The result is a wine of tension and grace, powerful yet delicate, with a distinct mineral backbone and long evolution potential.

Tasting Notes

Color: deep ruby with garnet highlights.
Nose: complex and layered, revealing red fruits, graphite, sweet spices, and subtle balsamic hints.
Palate: rich and supple, with silky tannins, a perfect balance between freshness and structure, and a long mineral finish.
A refined and intellectual Grenache, vibrant and pure—a true statement of Matassa’s craftsmanship.

Food Pairings

Perfect with roasted meats, game, and herb-marinated lamb. Excellent with Mediterranean stews or aged cheeses.
Serve at 16–18°C, allowing it to breathe for a few minutes before tasting.

Technical Sheet

• Producer: Domaine Matassa

• Wine: Cuvée Romanissa

• Vintage: 2023

• Region: Languedoc-Roussillon

• Location: Calce, France

• Grape Variety: Grenache Noir 100%

• Farming: Certified organic (Ecocert), selective biodynamic practices

• Vinification: Spontaneous fermentation, 3-week maceration in concrete

• Aging: 12 months in large neutral oak barrels

• Alcohol: 13.5% vol

• Serving Temperature: 16–18°C

• Format: 0.75 L

• Contains sulfites

See all products of Matassa

Domaine Matassa – Tom Lubbe

History and Origins of the Domaine

Domaine Matassa was founded in 2003 in Calce, in the heart of the Pyrénées-Orientales, southern France, thanks to the vision of Tom Lubbe, originally from South Africa. After formative experiences in his homeland and a decisive collaboration with the renowned Gauby winery, Tom chose Roussillon to create a personal project focused on purity and terroir expression. In recent years, production has gradually moved to Mas Ferriol, a stunning estate located between Estagel and Calce, surrounded by Mediterranean scrub and hills. Here, among old vines and stony landscapes shaped by wind and light, Lubbe found the ideal environment to consolidate his unique style. From the start, his goal has been to showcase the ancient native varieties of the region — Carignan, Grenache, Macabeu, Lladoner Pelut — through respectful viticulture and minimal intervention winemaking. Today, Matassa is recognized worldwide as a reference for natural wines, symbolizing elegance, tension, and freedom.

Vineyard Philosophy

At Domaine Matassa, the key word is natural harmony. The parcels, many over a century old, are located at 350–600 meters above sea level, rooted in soils of schist, clay, and limestone. Viticulture follows strict biodynamic principles, with no synthetic chemicals, emphasizing biological balance and soil vitality. Harvesting is manual, respecting lunar and seasonal cycles. For Tom Lubbe, the vineyard is a living organism, and the winemaker’s role is to listen to its natural rhythms. The result is grapes of exceptional purity and concentration, transmitting the force of the wind, the minerality of the rocks, and the intense Roussillon light into the wines.

Winemaking Approach

The cellar philosophy is based on transparency and subtraction. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with native yeasts, often whole-cluster, without temperature control. Macerations are delicate but expressive, with foot-treading to respect the structure of the fruit. Aging takes place in large neutral barrels and tonneaux, where wines rest on fine lees for several months, developing complexity and tension. No fining, no filtration, and minimal sulfite addition: the aim is to let the terroir speak, preserving the freshness and vitality of the fruit. The result is wines full of energy, light yet powerful, reflecting their Mediterranean origins.

Vision and Style

Domaine Matassa is today one of the most poetic and pure voices of contemporary wine. Tom Lubbe demonstrates that it is possible to create wines that are deep yet agile, intense yet delicate, reflecting the complexity of the Pyrenean landscape without overpowering it. Each label — from the Blanc to Romanissa, Mambo Sun or Cuvée Marguerite — tells a story of Mas Ferriol, where light, wind, and stone unite in perfect harmony. Bright acidity, mineral texture, and effortless elegance are the hallmarks of a producer who has redefined the language of Mediterranean wine. All Domaine Matassa wines contain sulfites.