# Cassagne et Vitailles Les Chausmes (2022)

- **Producer:** Cassagne et Vitailles
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Carignan, Grenache, Syrah
- **Region:** Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €30
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, blackberry, blackcurrant, black pepper, violet, herbaceous, vanilla, cloves, cedar, smoke, leather, forest floor

## 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 successfully building a premium French wine importing business, they returned to their native Languedoc to establish their boutique 7-hectare estate. Guided by the philosophy of 'Perfectus in Statera' (perfection in balance), they focus on low-yielding, high-altitude plots in Montpeyroux, within the foothills of the Terrasses du Larzac, to craft highly expressive, limited-production wines.

## Interesting facts

- The Syrah grapes are grafted from ancient Serine clones sourced directly from the legendary Jean-Louis Chave in the Northern Rhône.
- The estate's cellar was architecturally designed using the natural flow and energy principles of Feng Shui.
- Aged in barrels crafted by Burgundy's iconic cooperage Chassin, the primary barrel supplier to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.

## Food pairing

The wine's robust tannins, high intensity, and fresh acidity require rich, savory proteins and earthy components to soften the structure and match its complexity. Grilled meats and game dishes harmonize beautifully with the wine's structure, while earthy mushrooms complement its subtle herbal and forest floor undertones.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Les Chausmes emphasizes gentle extraction and minimal intervention. Sourced from old-vine Carignan and Syrah plots, the grapes are 100% hand-harvested. The 2022 vintage utilized approximately 20% whole-bunch fermentation. Different parcels and grape varieties are vinified separately in stainless steel or concrete before final blending. The wine is then aged for 12 months in new French oak barrels sourced from the elite Burgundian cooperage Chassin, and bottled with minimal sulfur.