The Outsiders

Languedoc-Roussillon winemakers with a twist

Copyright © 2011 Louise Hurren

All rights reserved

out·sid·er

1. a person or thing not within an enclosure, boundary, etc.

“I get a kick out of being an outsider constantly. It allows me to be creative.”

--Bill Hicks (American comedian, 1961-1994)

The Outsiders are a group of Languedoc-Roussillon wine producers. Working in the south of France, they are creating exciting wines which make full use of the region's highly diverse soil types, climatic conditions and grape varieties.

The group's members come from the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, New Zealand, Sweden, the USA – and Bordeaux. What they have in common is a conscious decision to relocate to this part of France to start a career in wine, recognising the potential of Languedoc-Roussillon's terroir.

Three of the Outsiders were involved in making or marketing others' wines, before crossing the line and becoming producers themselves. However, most of the Outsiders do not come from winemaking backgrounds; the group includes members with careers in nursery school teaching, business management, advertising, sales and marketing, strategic planning, TV production, property construction, investment banking, fnance... and taxation.

Coming from “outside” means having an alternative perspective, which can sometimes translate into doing things a little diferently.

We hope you will fnd our approach refreshing, and our wines to your liking.

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Core Members

Château Rives-Blanques (Jan and Caryl Panman) www.rives-blanques.com

Château d'Anglès (Vianney Fabre) www.chateaudangles.com

Mas Gabriel (Deborah and Peter Core) www.mas-gabriel.com

Mas des Dames (Lidewij van Wilgen) www.masdesdames.fr

Domaine Jones (Katie Jones) www.domainejones.com

Domaine de Calet (Anna-Lena and Yvon Gentes)http://www.domaine-de-calet.com

Domaine Treloar (Jon Hesford and Rachel Treloar) www.domainetreloar.com

Chateau de Combebelle (Catherine Wallace) www.combebelle.com

Domaine Cébène (Brigitte Chevalier) www.cebene.fr

O'Vineyards (Ryan O'Connell) http://ovineyards.com

Vella Frontera (Corin and Jayne Fairchild) www.vellafrontera.com

Domaine Sainte Rose (Charles and Ruth Simpson) www.domaine-sainte-rose.com

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Jan & Caryl Panman Château Rives-Blanques

Caryl (English) and Jan (Dutch) swapped a globe-trotting lifestyle for the backwaters of Cépie, in Languedoc's hilly, chilly Limoux. They bought Rives-Blanques (named after a Pyrenean peak) about 10 years ago. The estate has 22 ha of vineyards and was one of frst in France to be given the agriculture raisonnée accreditation. 2.4 ha of Chenin Blanc were planted in 1970 in anticipation of the 1972 blending-regulation changes and there are 7 ha of gnarled old Mauzac vines, gobelet trained. Their 9 ha of Chardonnay are divided into several vineyards, the highest of which has galets roulés stones – common in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and even Roussillon, but exceptional in Limoux, where they compete for space beneath the vines with a multitude of wild fowers. A couple of hectares of Sauvignon Blanc were planted in 2006 for a Vin de Pays.

Caryl works hard to promote their wines via their blog, website and e-newsletter, via which we learn that the Panmans are resilient sorts: so far this year they have been snowed in (twice), climbed the eponymous peak of Rives-Blanques, and sailed an Ette class dinghy (called BlanquEtte) over the Irish Sea.

Chateau Rives-Blanques11300 Cepie33 (0)4 68 31 43 20GPS - E: 2.22585 N: 43.11643 www.rives-blanques.com

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Vianney FabreChâteau d'Anglès

Château d'Anglès is one of the historic estates of La Clape. It was purchased by Eric Fabre in 2002; after eight years in Pauillac as technical director at Château Lafte Rothschild, he was ready to swap Bordeaux for Languedoc, and Château d'Anglès is now run as a family afair with his sons Vianney and Arnaud. They have 36 ha of vines on an 80-ha estate, the rest being wild, scrubby garrigue and Alep pine forest. The vineyards face the Mediterranean and beneft from the cooling sea breezes. A total of 12 ha are planted with white varieties (Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc); the remainder are Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Grenache Noir vines. Eric believes that the standard copper-based treatments used by organic vineyards do the soil more harm than good, but insecticides are not used and the estate follows a sustainable land-management programme based on the Terra Vitis quality charter. Their AOC-only wines (30% white, 60% red, 10% rosé) are neither fned nor fltered.

Vianney grew up surrounded by prestigious bordelais vineyards. He has degrees in oenology and business and spent time in New York and Paris, followed most recently by four years in Champagne as Bollinger's export director, before opting to join his father in Languedoc where the decidedly diferent mentality, climate and terroir give them the chance to make timeless wines that are not infuenced by trends or rigid traditions.

Château d'Angles11560 Saint-Pierre la Mer+33 (0)4 68 33 61 33GPS 43.2186550 ; 3.1881813www.chateaudangles.com

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Peter & Deborah Core Mas Gabriel

Mas Gabriel is a small organic wine domaine of 6 hectares in Caux, west of Pezenas and about 20km from the Mediterranean. It is owned and run by Deborah and Peter Core, a British couple who met in London in the 1990s; Deborah was working as a lawyer and Peter as a fnance director. They left London in 2002 and spent 18 months in New Zealand completing a diploma in viticulture and winemaking at Tairawhiti Polytechnic in Gisborne. Work experience covered two vintages, including a gruelling three-month spell on the night shift at Sacred Hill Wines in Hawke's Bay for Peter. Returning to Europe, they worked the 2004 vintage at Chateau Bauduc (Bordeaux), and then moved to Languedoc at the end of that year. In 2006, after a long search, they bought a fve hectare plot of vines from Domaine de la Garance, and took that harvest to produce Mas Gabriel's very frst wine.

Their stated aim is simple: to produce great natural wines that express Mas Gabriel's highly unique terroir, which contains large quantities of volcanic basalt. Using Syrah, Grenache and old Carignan this produces powerful, elegant wines with great balance, length and freshess. Inspired by James Milton in New Zealand, they follow the biodynamic principles of Rudolph Steiner, treating the soil as a living organism and ensuring its health by applying well-composted cow manure in autumn, as well as natural plant teas and preparations. The small size of the domaine enables Peter and Deborah to do all the work in the vineyard and chai, the only exception being the happy band of locals and volunteers who help hand-pick the harvest each year. The domaine is certifed organic with Ecocert.

9 avenue de Mougères34720 Caux+33 (0) 6 27 31 21 47 www.mas-gabriel.co.uk

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Lidewij van Wilgen Mas des Dames

Dutch woman Lidewij van Wilgen runs Mas des Dames, an 18th century farmhouse near Saint Chinian; a contiguous 14-hectare vineyard lies in an amphitheatre-shaped valley surrounding the house. A former strategic director with a large Amsterdam advertising agency, she is the mother of three daughters (hence the domaine name). She took over the estate in 2002 when she came to France seeking an alternative to adland. Being a female Outsider was not easy: “I was surprised by the mentality of men in the agricultural sector. In my previous job, men with academic backgrounds worked for me without any problem, but here, workers doubted everything I said, simply because I was a woman.”

Yields average 35 hl/ha, grapes are picked and selected by hand, each plot is vinifed in its own small tank, insecticides and chemical fertilizers are a no-no, and the range is small (two AOC Coteaux du Languedoc, two Vin de Pays d'Oc), with the emphasis on clean, pure fruit. Things are kept simple and honest: minimal use of sulphur, pigeage rather than remontage, and no new oak. “If you have clean grapes you don't need to do much. Our way of winemaking is common sense, really.” Lidewij's philosophy is “to make wines that are original, but also 100% Languedoc.”

Route de Causses et Veyran34490 Murviel les Béziers33 (0)4 67 37 26 63www.masdesdames.fr

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Katie Jones Domaine Jones

Katie is no stranger to the UK wine scene, or indeed to the south of France (prior to becoming a winemaker she spent 16 years working in sales and marketing for a leading Languedoc cooperative, based in the Corbières village of Tuchan). In 2007, 2.7 ha of 60-year-old Grenache vines planted on black slate came up for sale in Maury; Katie couldn't resist. It turned out that the vines were actually half Grenache Gris, some Grenache Noir, and a bit of Muscat and Carignan to boot. At frst, the vineyard was a hobby, but in 2009, with no practical experience to speak of, she set up some equipment and vats to create a tiny winery and made her very frst vintage, aided and abetted by her vigneron partner Jean-Marc and her winemaker David Morrison.

Domaine Jones plans to stay small. Total production in 2009 was only 6,000 bottles; next year, when more white is made, the fgure should rise to 8,000. A recently-purchased 1,500-vine plot of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah will provide 2,000 bottles of Fitou, and that's the cut-of point.

14 rue de l'Eglise11350 Paziols+33 (0)6 86 67 94 68GPS: 42.492247 2.362470www.domainejones.com

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Anna-Lena & Yvon Gentes Domaine de Calet

Anna-Lena (a nursery school teacher) and Yvon (a major player in the Swedish seafood industry) spent 30 years together in her native Sweden before coming to live in the southern Rhône valley in 1999. With successful careers behind them, they were ready for a new challenge: wine appealed. They bought a run-down domaine on the edge of the Camargue, in the Costières de Nîmes appellation, and set about putting its 38 hectares of vines in order, replanting 65% of the vineyard with local varieties (Marselan, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Vermentino) - and some Chardonnay. They farm their vines according to French agricultural guru Jean-Pierre Cousinié's method (based on highly-focused observation and analysis of all stages of the viticultural process), with input from their renowned winemaker-neighbour Marc Kreydenweiss and Australian oenologist David Morrison, and a nod in the direction of biodynamics; the domaine will have ofcial organic status in 2012.

The Gentes' pioneering spirit is evident. They worked with the Chambre d'Agriculture on test plantings of Marselan prior to its being accepted into the Costières de Nîmes AOC, and their next project is focused on the development of oidium-resistant vines. They have created a successful micro-business making personalised cuvées for groups of Scandinavian wine lovers, and regularly welcome visitors to their domaine; amongst the most recent were the Japanese crew members of the Peace Boat initiative, who spent a day harvesting grapes to be made into their very own “Vin de la Paix”, which will be used to raise funds. “People don't buy products any more, they buy services, so you have to personalise what you're selling, and do things diferently,” says Yvon.

Domaine de Calet 30640 Beauvoisin +33(0)4 66 73 53 11www.domaine-de-calet.com

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Jonathan Hesford Domaine Treloar

Ten years ago Rachel (a New Zealander) and Jonathan (a Brit) were living and working one block away from the World Trade Center in New York. They lost their home and jobs as a result of September 11th but happily found a new direction through a passion for wine. Their path led them to Plumpton College (Sussex), Halfpenny Green Vineyards (Stafs), a Viticulture and Oenology Postgraduate Diploma from Lincoln University (New Zealand), and almost two years at Neudorf Vineyards, where Jon was assistant winemaker.

In 2005 they came to Languedoc-Roussillon to produce their own wines and bought an ancient winery and 10 ha of vines on hillside sites in the Aspres sub-region of Roussillon. A huge amount of work ensued: renovating and modernising the winery, creating their own identity and – not least - making truly hand-crafted wine. Domaine Treloar's wide variety of traditional cépages and the (relatively) fexible winemaking regulations have helped them to create, single-handedly, a range of individual wines which have quickly received international acclaim.

16 Traverse de Thuir 66300 Trouillas +33 (0)4 68 95 02 29GPS: 42.6113, 2.8065www.domainetreloar.com

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Catherine Wallace Château Combebelle

Catherine is a Brit with over 15 years' experience in the UK wine trade (she worked for Majestic, Adnams and Lay & Wheeler). With WSET exams up to Diploma level under her belt, she wanted to make her own wine; in 2005, with her partner Patrick, she bought the biodynamically-farmed Château Combebelle from fellow countryman and eco-pioneer Robert Eden. The domaine is 300 metres above sea level, perched on a hillside a couple of kilometers from the village of Villespassans. It's the highest vineyard in Saint Chinian, made up of 11 hectares of Syrah and Grenache vines (with plans to plant more soon, including white). Historically this was red wine territory but Catherine has a thing for rosé, so she made her frst in 2006. She is studying to become a Master of Wine, and is highly enthusiasic about her adoptive region: “The potential for really good-quality wines, not just here but across the entire Languedoc region, is huge – that's what drew me to this part of France.” We like her refreshingly down-to-earth approach: “If you can bake a Victoria sponge, you can make wine… the tricky thing is selling it.”

Combebelle Le Haut34360 VillespassansTel: +33 (0)4 67 38 09 86 GPS 43°22'17.37N 2°53'04.70 Ewww.combebelle.com

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Brigitte Chevalier Domaine de Cébène

Previously export manager with Bordeaux wine merchant Jean-Luc Thunevin, Brigitte came to Languedoc in 2006 to make wine her own way. She began by using grapes bought-in from other growers; today, while continuing with this policy, Brigitte manages her own wine merchant company, Chevalier Vins, and also makes top-notch wines from her own Domaine de Cébène.

Brigitte's vineyards are in two contrasting areas, one in Faugères, the other in Corneilhan (20 km from the Mediterranean). Her winemaking quest is for freshness and perfect fruit aromas, with as little intervention as possible. Her cuvées have terroir-tastic names: Ex Arena means “out of the sand” (the plot in question is a 40 metre-deep bed of sea sediment), and Felgaria is the old name for Faugères; this wine's grapes come from deep-rooted vines grown on the schist hillsides and terraces in the far north of the appellation, at 300 metres altitude. “I want to make vin du nord (wine from the north) in the sud (south),” she says. She has already captured the style and delicate favor of cooler-appellation wines in the Languedoc, proving that her winemaking skills are equal to her commercial talents.

Domaine de CébèneAncienne route de Béziers34600 Bédarieux33 (0)6 74 96 42 67GPS : 43° 33' 28.4'' N 03° 10' 23.3.'' Ewww.cebene.fr

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Ryan O'Connell O'Vineyards

Ryan O'Connell is the twenty-something Franco-American founder of Love That Languedoc – an English/French blog about the wines and winemakers of Languedoc-Roussillon. He arrived in the region with his parents Joe (American) and Liz (French-Vietnamese) in 2005, as part of a family decision to trade a life building luxury homes in Florida for an altogether earthier sort of existence. Their estate in Cabardès has views of the medieval city of Carcassonne and a decidedly un-French yet memorable name. The O'Connells farm 16 hectares of Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. They've built two wineries and with the help of a lot of books, a consultant, a lab technician and friends, now have a range of fve wines.

885 Avenue de la Montagne Noire11620 Villemoustaussou33 (0)6 30 18 99 10GPS: 43.259622, 2.340387http://www.ovineyards.com

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Charles and Ruth Simpson Domaine Sainte Rose

From pharmaceuticals in Azerbaijan and Georgia to winemaking in Languedoc: it's been quite a trip for Charles and Ruth Simpson, the owners of Domaine Sainte Rose. After an education in the UK, New Zealand and the USA, British-born Charles graduated in International Marketing and went on to develop a career with Merck and GlaxoSmithKline. His Scottish wife Ruth comes from a well-known drinks industry family, being a ffth generation descendant of William Grant; after a degree in International Relations, she gained extensive international experience within the humanitarian sector.

Since purchasing their Languedoc domaine in 2002 the Simpsons have created a successful range of high quality wines that are marketed in more than ten countries, applying a specifc, quality-orientated strategy and a business-savvy focus on VdP d'Oc blends. Their decision to choose the Languedoc was based on the myriad opportunities ofered by this up-and-coming area; their rock-solid business, marketing and management experience means they run a tight ship, and have their eyes wide open to the reality of earning a living from wine.

Domaine Sainte RoseServian, 34290 France 33 (0)4 67 39 07 5443°25'15.47”N 3°19'10.53”Ewww.domaine-sainte-rose.com

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Corin and Jayne FairchildDomaine Vella Frontera

The wines of Roussillon's Domaine Vella Frontera combine Catalan charisma with French fnesse, with a dash of British humour. Corin is of Anglo-Welsh parentage; stepping away from his ffteen year career in the IT industry, he took up a degree course in Viticulture and Oenology in the UK. His wife Jayne hails from Birmingham, and comes from an advertising/marketing background; a timely redundancy coincided with Corin's graduation, enabling them to up sticks and move to Maury, near Perpignan, in 2006, where they bought their 7.5 hectare estate, producing their frst vintage in 2007.

Jayne handles sales and marketing, while Corin looks after the winemaking and export/import; he and Jayne tend the vines together throughout the year and employ seasonal labour to help with the harvest.

The Fairchild's domaine is made up of many parcels of land along a 10km stretch of the Fenouillèdes hills in the Côtes du Roussillon Villages appellation. The diversity of the plots lessens the risk of wide scale destruction by hail storms (common in this area) and delivers a wide variety of favours from the grapes, based on their variously difering terroir.

91 avenue Jean Jaurès66460 MAURY33 (0)4 30 15 41 60GPS: 42.809900, 2.591357www.vellafrontera.com

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OutsidersRocking the Languedoc wine scene

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THE EBOOK

This eBook presents the core members of The Outsiders. Biographies were written by our group's fearless leader, Louise Hurren. The ebook was

compiled by Ryan O'Connell.

Follow our activites on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Outsiders.Languedoc

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