Mas De Daumas Gassac

Mas de Daumas Gassac is located just to the north-west of Montpellier, in the unique and benevolent climate of Aniane, which is now perceived as the finest terroir in the South of France. Many of the leading Languedoc estates have now established themselves here, but there is one pioneer, Mas De Daumas Gassac, which may be described, to coin a phrase, as the first and the best.

Described famously as 'The First Growth of the Languedoc' by no less a luminary than Hugh Johnson (he went on to narrow down the comparison to Château Lafite) Mas de Daumas, despite its flattering imitators, remains unique, primarily because its red wine is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. The advice given in 1972 to the owner Aimé Guibert by geologist Henri Enjalbert and Bordeaux oenologist Emile Peynaud, was that both the soils and the climate here were perfect to reproduce the out-standing quality of the wines of the Médoc. And so it has proved.

2008 was a vintage where a rainy Spring ceded to a wet June and a mild mid-summer; the intimations of a mediocre harvest were dashed, however, by a very warm Autumn and perfect conditions at harvest-time. Aimé's children Samuel and Roman have take over the day-to-day running of the Estate and share both their father's oenological skill and his proclivity for hyperbole. 2008, they write is 'an exquisite vintage… one to lay down, to be compared to 1978, 1988 and (have you guessed yet?) 1998'. They add, perhaps unnecessarily: 'The number eight was a symbol of harmony for Pythagoras, the symbol of infinity.....and for us...the Day of the Resurrection - the eighth day. Truly the number eight is a sign of excellence!' There is not a lot to add to such a statement, other than to say that the wine is rather good, and that if I, like Pascal, were a betting man, I would certainly consider it a very good one to cellar for a few years. For 2009, on the other hand, there is complete certainty; this is one of the great years, and the white wine is absolutely sublime!

Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer