PRODUCER: Maxime Magnon
REGION: Hautes-Corbières, Languedoc-Roussillon, France
WINEMAKERS: Maxime Magnon
Burgundian by birth, Maxime Magnon’s prodigious talent was not the product of a childhood spent running through the vines of a family estate. Born not to a vigneron, négociant, or winemaker, Maxime honed his skills through years spent working at some of France’s finest wineries: first under Jean Foillard in Morgon, and later Didier Barral in Faugères.
WINERY HISTORY
In 2002 he finally started out on his own, purchasing nine parcels of primarily old vine Carignan across 11 hectares of vineyards on the steep slopes of the high-altitude Hautes-Corbières, old vines planted on schist and decomposed granite, certified organic and farmed using biodynamic practices. The terroir shines through and Maxime is well on his way to becoming one of France’s, not just the Languedoc’s, most respected winemakers. Demand from the wine bars of Paris, Lyon and beyond is high, and with production totalling only 1700 cases we have waited several years for the opportunity to bring the wines to the UK.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
An early proponent of biodynamic and organic agriculture, Maxime paved the way for sustainable viticulture in Languedoc. Not only would his influence shift farming practices, but his deft touch in the cellar produced wines of a novel style for the region. Elegant, nuanced, and delicate, his wines marked an early departure from the heavily over-extracted wines that had long characterised the region.
Maxime’s vines spread across 11ha of the steep slopes and high-altitude topography of the Haute-Corbières. Planted in schist and decomposed granite, he farms nine parcels of primarily old vine Carignan. A naturalist at heart, Maxime seeks to create a harmonious ecosystem in his vineyards. All the wood in the winery is old and use of sulphur is limited to a minimal addition at bottling. Maxime’s light touch in the cellar is an educated one, and the influence of Burgundy, Cru Beaujolais and the Northern Rhone are evident as soon as you smell the wines. The results are phenomenal. These are not an overworked stereotype. Rather, they are perfect examples of how - in the right hands - the Languedoc is capable of a subtle beauty alongside the concentration and flavour profile associated with the region.
La Bégou is Maxime’s white cuvée, in which 50–60-year-old Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris and Carignan Gris fermented in foudre and aged for 10 months in barrel. Rozeta is a blend of two different terroirs, sourced from Carignan vineyards interspersed with old-vine plantings of Grenache Gris, Macabou, and Terret. A true ‘field blend,’ all these grapes are fermented together. Maxime’s top cuvée is Campagnès, a single-vineyard bottling stemming from century-old Carignan vines on the steep slopes above the River Berre. All wines are aged in second-hand Burgundian barrels sourced from a producer in Chassagne.
IN THE PRESS
"Maxime Magnon – former winemaker for Maria Fita in Fitou – is crafting fascinating wines under his own label, in the low-sulfur, back-to-the-future style that he absorbed in his time working for Maurice Lapierre in Morgon. Applying this approach to old Carignan vines in the rugged back country of Fitou and neighboring Corbieres (the gateway to Roussillon) results in some of the most strikingly refined, refreshing, and easy-to-drink wines I have ever had from the Languedoc. But that is not to suggest they lack profundity, on the contrary." - David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate
"A Burgundy native, Maxime Magnon started his own domaine in the Corbières in 2002 after working in Beaujolais with Marcel Lapierre. He now makes sought-after wines from predominantly very old vines (80-120 years old) that have great finesse and a lightness of touch." - Natalie Earl, Decanter
