# Cassagne et Vitailles Les Chausmes (2020)

- **Producer:** Cassagne et Vitailles
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Syrah, Grenache, Carignan
- **Region:** Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.5%
- **Average price:** €51
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** strawberry, raspberry, cherry, plum, lavender, herbaceous, white pepper, smoke, vanilla, cedar, cloves

## About this wine

Domaine Cassagne et Vitailles was founded in 2015 by childhood friends Matthieu Rollin and Nicolas Seffusatti. After a decade importing French wines in China, they returned to their homeland in the Languedoc to pursue their dream of crafting world-class, uncompromising wines. Located in the prestigious Montpeyroux terroir, the estate operates under the philosophy of 'Perfectus in Statera' (Perfection in Balance), aiming to maintain a holistic equilibrium with nature. 'Les Chausmes' is a meticulously crafted, limited-production cuvée designed to showcase the unique geological diversity and microclimates of Montpeyroux, representing the modern renaissance of the Languedoc region.

## Interesting facts

- Only 3,533 bottles of the 2020 vintage were produced, making this an extremely limited micro-cuvée.
- The estate was founded by two childhood friends who spent ten years importing French wine in China before returning home to make it.
- The wine is aged in 100% new French oak barrels crafted by the highly prestigious Chassin Cooperage.

## Food pairing

This rich, structured, and intensely aromatic Mediterranean red requires robust dishes with matching weight and flavor intensity. The wine's high tannins and acidity cut beautifully through rich proteins and fats, such as lamb, duck, or game. The savory garrigue and peppery notes in the wine harmonize wonderfully with dishes featuring rosemary, thyme, and truffles.

## Wine making process

The grapes are strictly hand-harvested and sorted parcel by parcel from fragmented plots of clay-limestone and sandstone soils. Each individual parcel is vinified separately to preserve its microclimatic signature. Fermentation occurs naturally utilizing only wild indigenous yeasts with minimal sulfur inputs. The wine is aged for 12 months in 100% new French oak barrels crafted by the acclaimed Chassin Cooperage. To preserve its natural texture and complexity, the wine is bottled without fining or filtration.