In the early 1990s, the Guibert family set themselves a new challenge: the creation of a new range of approachable wines in the same Gassac philosophy, leading to the discovery of the exceptional Villeveyrac “amphitheatre” site. This led to a long and fruitful partnership between Mas de Daumas Gassac and the winegrowers from this terroir. The first wines were produced in 1991, the result of a plot-by-plot selection from thirty local winegrowers. The Moulin de Gassac range was born in 1991, with the Mas de Daumas Gassac’s hallmark and Guibert’ signature. For more than 30 years this authentic approach, with daily involvement, has inspired the winemakers in an ongoing quest to obtain the best possible quality from these vineyards. Now covering an area of 250 hectares, all the plots are subject to a rigorous set of specifications.

Winemaking

A little “masterpiece” from the “old wine grower”! But a masterpiece in the olden days’ sense of unremitting, skilled work – only produced in a very special vintage such as 1997, 1998, 2007 & 2011. The two leading lights in this unconventional wine are Sercial, a mysterious grape from the island of Madeira that develops intriguing aromas of acidity, bitterness and pepper. The other is Languedoc’s very own star, the Muscat Petit Grain from Mireval. Each grape has an average yield of ten hectolitres per hectare. The Vin de Laurence is created from a painstaking double fermentation. First the Sercial, harvested before it ripens; then the Muscat is added to the acid Sercial wine for a second fermentation. The Muscat is harvested much later, in October when the sun has baked it to near caramel before it’s crushed. When picked, the Muscat alcohol potential is close to 20°C. Once blended, the Vin de Laurence is then aged between 2 and 10 years in aged Burgundy barrels

Tasting notes

The result of this Franco-Portuguese alchemy is a fleshy, rich amber colored wine, incredibly complex, where the Muscat’s sweetness merges with the Sercial’s acidity, to tease and delight your palate. It ends with the candied characteristics of the over-ripe grapes predominant. As the Romans said: Nil novi sub sole (there’s nothing new under the sun). Wine lover will understand the dream of building a bridge between Tokay, today’s splendid Hungarian wine creation, and the mysterious Klein Constantia drunk by Princes and Tsars back in the 18th century. A dream comes true here in the Languedoc’s Gassac valley. Drink from a port glass, slightly chilled.