# Cassagne et Vitailles Clas Mani (2019)

- **Producer:** Cassagne et Vitailles
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Carignan, Grenache, Syrah
- **Region:** Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €55
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** plum, cherry, strawberry, apricot, white pepper, rose, violet, vanilla, cloves, chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg

## About this wine

Domaine Cassagne et Vitailles was founded in 2015 by childhood friends Matthieu Rollin and Nicolas Seffusatti. After spending a decade in China importing premium French wines, they returned to their native Languedoc to realize their dream of handcrafting world-class, uncompromising wines from local terroirs. Located in the rugged commune of Montpeyroux within the Terrasses du Larzac appellation, the estate focuses on high-altitude parcellar selections. Clas Mani represents the crown jewel of the estate, showcasing a unique structural tension that couples the sun-drenched concentration of the region with a silkier, elegant texture.

## Interesting facts

- Clas Mani's 2018 vintage achieved rapid acclaim when it was ranked by critic James Suckling as one of the Top 50 Wines of the World.
- The wine is aged in Chassin oak barrels, a prestigious Burgundy cooperage that famously supplies icon estates like Romanée-Conti.
- Vines are grown on sandstone soils, causing hydric stress that forces the vines to produce tiny, highly concentrated berries.

## Food pairing

This powerful, structured red wine requires rich, protein-heavy dishes to soften its prominent tannins. The natural acidity and mineral tension cut through the fat of rich meats like lamb and duck, while the herbal garrigue notes of the wine beautifully complement dishes seasoned with rosemary, thyme, and wild spices.

## Wine making process

The grapes for Clas Mani are entirely hand-harvested late in the season to achieve optimal phenolic ripeness, followed by meticulous double sorting both in the vineyard and at the cellar. Each micro-plot is vinified separately in small stainless steel vats to safeguard the pure block-identity of the fruit. The wine is aged for 18 months in prestigious Chassin oak barrels, sourced from a renowned Burgundy cooperage. Following barrel aging, the wine undergoes further refinement, completing a total of 30 months of maturation before it is commercialized.