MATASSA WEIN - Domaine Matassa

Tom is actually a New Zealander who grew up in South Africa, where he gained his first winemaking experience. He later moved to France for an internship at nearby Domaine Gauby (an iconic winemaker in southern France), but then stayed there as cellar hand for 3 consecutive vintages. Domaine Matassa was finally founded in 2003, with the first vintage produced entirely in Tom’s living room - Gérard Gauby felt so bad about this that in 2004 he gave Tom his old cellar!

Tom Lubbe is at the forefront of the zero/zero movement, not adding any sulphites at any stage. He has also hosted interns who have gone on to do great wines themselves, including Martin Wörner of Marto Wines.

We personally also adore the Domaine Matassa ‘Cuvée Marguerite’ for an aromatic skin-contact wine using the grapes Macabeu, Zibibbo & Muscat Blanc de Petits Grains. Beautiful wine, especially after a 30 minute decant to breathe a little.

With Roussillon’s proximity to Spain in the south of France, Domaine Matassa makes wines from many traditional Catalunyan grape varieties. The vineyards are farmed sustainably with chemical-free & holistic techniques, with perhaps the most important farming principle for Tom being soil health, which he is extremely passionate about.
However, Tom Lubbe's skills in the cellar are also impressive and he has set a prime example in his corner of France for this. This can be seen with his soft yet vibrant approach to Carignan, perfectly shown in his Matassa Rouge. Not to forget his Matassa Brutal, a scrumptious blend of red and white wine bursting full of bluerberry notes. This Brutal wine is actually now defunct and renamed Tommy Ferriol.
When asked why the change from Matassa Brutal to Tommy Ferriol, with the same label style, Tom Lubbe explained
"It's been 5 years since we took over the Mas Ferriol, a historic Catalan mas near Perpignan. We brought it from Domane Jolly Ferriol and there has been confusion over who now owns the property. We do, and as the grapes for Brutal Rouge/Tommy Ferriol come exclusively from our vineyards around the Mas (our winery and home) we wanted to denote and celebrate that fact. Hence the name change. The 2023 was also the 20th vintage of Domaine Matassa!"

With an obsession in regenerative soil health and a fascination with compost to maintain the good health of his vineyards in Languedoc-Rousillon, Tom Lubbe farms his 15 hectares of land with precision and care. His work in the vineyards in such a hot region is largely beneficial for him to create an ability in making quaffable, very light wines (often 12%, sometimes 10% alcohol) which is very difficult to achieve in the region, with reds often topping 15% weight.

With a large focus on Carignan, making up the iconic Matassa Rouge, Tom also farms Macabeu, Zibibbo (Muscat d’Alexandria), Syrah, Grenache, Muscat a Petit Grains, Grenache Gris amongst other grapes.

In the cellar, Mattasa wines receive equal love, and see no additions of sulphur since 2015.

His wines are adored all around the globe - and often sell out fast, especially the rarer wines like Matassa Brutal Orange and Tattouine…

How do the wines of Matassa taste?

The Matassa wines of Tom Lubbe have a real vibrancy to them, and none use any added sulphites which makes them quite energetic. The whites are virtually all orange, and with the grapes used like Macebeo and Muscat, te aromatic qualities come out strong. the reds can taste more classic, such as the Matassa Rouge made with Carignan, whist his red/white blends like his Brutal and Matassa Rouge have a great drinkability to them.

What is the cheapest Matassa wine to buy?

The Olla Blanc and Olla Rouge are the most affordable Matassa wines, and even come as Magnums too!

Why do Matassa wines sell out so fast?

With such a strong demand for Matassa, the wines of Tom Lubbe sell out fast as demand is high, and production is not super high. We recommend getting Matassa wines when you can and saving them at home for the right occasion, especially the most popular special wines like Cuvee Marguerite and Brutal Orange, which always sell out quick!

What is special about the Matassa Brutal?

The popular Brutal! Wine from Matassa is very much adored, but does vary every year sometimes in grapes used, not just vintage changes. It's generally light, and offers a big burst of blueberry notes (usually) and a real energy amongst a FANTASTIC drinkability. If you see the Brutal red wine from Matassa, we suggest to buy it. If you can get your hands on the Brutal Orange, trust us it works a treat with proper Chinese cuisine!

What are the most popular Matassa wines?

Popular Matassa wines include Brutal, Olla Blanc, Cuvee Alexandria, Cuvee Marguerite, Tattouine, Rouge, Cuvee Romanissa and now new wines Planals & Rufo.