2007 Massamier la Mignarde, Domus Maximus, Minervois la Livinière

Varietally we are on more familiar ground here, this being mostly Syrah, with some Grenache. I have chosen this wine as one of my favourites because it’s an extraordinary exposition for the theory of “terroir”. The Languedoc used to be thought of as a featureless landscape of anodyne wines but there are pockets of excellence, in fact long-recognised but forgotten post-phylloxera. La Livinère is a perfect example. It sits at the heart of the Minervois appellation, itself a superior enclave of quality.

The defining feature of the landscape is hard too define, its soils varying between schist, argilo-calcaire and even sandstone, but what marks the wines of La Livinière is a highly perfumed, heady scent of violet, improbably tempered by something of liquorice and Asia. The ripest vineyards have the softest tannins, something at which Frantz Venes has excelled with this wine.

Forget a classed growth; for the money, put this in a decanter and savour at your leisure. That is exactly what I did with Frantz at Carcasonne Airport as few years ago. I missed the plane, even though I could see it from my restaurant seat.
(Mark Pardoe MW, BBR Wholesale-Feb 2011)


Domus is a superb wine, fully demonstrating the full potential of the Livinière enclave of Minervois. With 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache and a generous ageing, this is a superb vin de garde, self- evidently one of the best in France let alone the Languedoc. With its delightful label and equally delightful vigneron , M Franz Venes, this is a fine wine tip to toe. Indeed one of its recent forebears was voted Best French Red in the International Wine Challenge, no less. 2007 was a fine and warm vintage; qualities captured in the wine itself. Franz is clearly keeping up the exceptionally good work!
(Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer)