The Burgundian Maxime Magnon settled in Villeneuve-les-Corbières in 2002. He learnt the trade from the two referential figures that are Philippe Valette and Thierry Allemand. The domain is planted with Carignan (50%), Grenache Noir (28%), Cinsault (20%) and Syrah (2%) for the red varieties. As for the white grapes, Grenache Gris takes up most of the space (70%) followed by Grenache Blanc (25%) and Macabeu (5%). 45,000 bottles are produced a year from a surface area of 15.5 hectares (9 in red and 6.5 in white). The vines are 80 years old on average. The grapes are picked by hand and the domain is certified organic. Maxime reintroduced sheep, donkeys and cows to graze on the land between November and mid-April, as this encourages microbial life. As for the vinification, Maxime adopts a low-intervention philosophy using whole grape bunches and indigenous yeasts. Largely influenced by traditional Beaujolais methods, he manages to get the best from this approach whilst defining his own style. His wines are easy-drinking, delicate and precise with remarkable flavour. Maxime Magnon thus participates greatly in Corbières' renewal, giving a good idea of what the future holds for the Languedoc.

Domaine Maxime Magnon spans 15.5 hectares, 9 of which are planted with red varieties, in the Languedoc’s Corbières appellation. The soil here contains clay and chalk, and the domain itself has organic certification. This cuvée is crafted in honour of the producer’s daughter and is made of just one kind of grape, Cinsault. The grapes are harvested by hand and the vinification that follows involves as little intervention as possible: whole bunches are fermented at a low temperature with only indigenous yeasts, and there is no sulphur added. The wine is matured in oak barrels and it isn’t fined or filtered during bottling. In the glass, it has a brilliant, crimson colour. The nose gives off aromas of red and black fruits, spices and a hint of peony. On the palate, the spices are deeper, combining a lengthy finish with pleasant complexity. Decant this cuvée at 14-16°C. You can enjoy it from now, though it does have excellent aging potential. Pair it with grilled duck or boeuf bourguignon.