Few winemakers have come to define their region like Mas de Daumas Gassac has with the Languedoc. What sets Mas de Daumas Gassac apart is their unflinching commitment to pushing the boundaries ? of the appellation?s rules, of conventional farming techniques, of ?expected? grape varieties.

Aim? and V?ronique Guibert purchased the land in the early 1970s; they had planned to start a farm, but weren?t sure what type of crops they wanted to grow. It took convincing from a Bordeaux-based soil scientist, who saw great grape-growing potential in the limestone-rich land, as densely mineral-laden as Burgundy?s C?te d?Or.

Making wine in the Languedoc is nothing new ? the Greeks and Romans were doing it millennia ago. In planting their estate to vines, the Guiberts chose to buck local tradition and plant a wide (very wide) assortment of international grapes; there?s Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, sure, but also Petite Arvine, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo and more. Prior to owning the estate, the Guiberts traveled the world as part of a family leather business, and became enamored with grapes from far-off and exotic locales.

This is a classically spicy Southern French red blend, with distinctive notes of garrigue (the herbal underbrush found in Provence and its outlying regions, redolent of thyme and bay) and dark cherry fruit. A no-brainer for the region's warming stews and roasts but endlessly pairable and delightful on its own.