Domaine Mont de Marie Salve Ager

The domaine Mont de Marie is the creation of Thierry Forestier, son of a wine making family in the Costieres de Nimes, who starting in 2004, has pieced together eight parcels of vineyards totaling 7.5 hectares in and around the village of Souvignargues. He has recently renovated a centuries old winery facility in the village.

Souvignargues is located in the easternmost part of the Coteaux du Languedoc and is part of the sub-region known as the Terres de Sommières. Thierry Forestier has selected vineyard plots with old vines (often head-pruned) many of which are in particularly cool micro-climates. Nearly a third of his vineyards are planted to Aramon, a much neglected, historic and local grape variety. His Aramon vines are at least 100 years old.

Thierry farms without the use of herbacides or insecticides, using only copper and sulphur to fight mildew. All of his vinifications are done with indigenous yeasts and without any intervention. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Tutti frutti notes of cherry and forest fruits are balanced by a suave minerality and a lithe, silky texture. A pretty, soif-y, vaguely rose-scented quaffer that will leave natural wine drinkers and traditionalists alike pleased.