# Cassagne et Vitailles Combarels Blanc (2023)

- **Producer:** Cassagne et Vitailles
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chardonnay, Viognier, Colombard
- **Region:** Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €21
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, apricot, peach, elderflower, lemon, toast, brioche, nutmeg

## About this wine

Domaine Cassagne & Vitailles is a boutique estate in Languedoc founded in 2015 by childhood friends Matthieu Rollin and Nicolas Seffusatti. After meeting in Montpellier and spending a decade running a successful wine import business in Shanghai, they returned home to pursue their dream of crafting world-class wines. Operating on just 7.85 hectares near the medieval commune of Montpeyroux, they focus on organic and biodynamic practices. Their philosophy, 'Perfectus in Statera' (Perfection in Balance), drives them to produce highly precise, elegant, and terroir-driven wines that represent the modern revival of Languedoc whites.

## Interesting facts

- Founded by childhood friends Matthieu Rollin and Nicolas Seffusatti, who first met in an economics class in Montpellier.
- The founders spent 10 years running a successful wine import business in Shanghai before returning to France to make wine.
- The winery's cellar in Montpeyroux is custom-built from historic Fontvieille stone blocks to ensure natural thermal inertia.

## Food pairing

This crisp white wine thrives on its high acidity and saline minerality, making it a perfect match for delicate seafood and shellfish. The light lees aging provides just enough texture to stand up to light butter sauces, while the vibrant acidity cuts through the creaminess of soft goat cheeses.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for the Combarels Blanc is designed to maximize freshness and precision. Grapes are harvested entirely by hand at optimal maturity and fermented separately by variety in small, temperature-controlled stainless steel vats to preserve individual parcel characteristics. Crucially, malolactic fermentation is completely blocked to retain the wine's vibrant, crisp acidity. Following fermentation, the wine is aged for six to eight months on its fine lees in French oak barrels, which imparts a subtle roundness and texture without overwhelming the delicate fruit with heavy oak flavors.