Mas de Libian's Biodynamic, Chillable Reds from Southern Rhône
One of my favorite producers in our Direct Import program is Mas de Libian, owned by the Thibon family and located in the Ardèche region of the Southern Rhône. The property has been in their family since 1670, but it was not until 1970 when Jean-Pierre Thibon built a winery, and they began to shift their farming practices towards winemaking.
Even though they are an historic property, Mas de Libian still falls a little under the radar. For me, though, they check a lot of boxes. They have long practiced organic farming and are now Demeter-certified biodynamic. They make fresh, vibrant wines that are accessible, quaffable, sumptuous, and compelling. It doesn’t hurt that the property’s terroir is a dead ringer for that of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with its calcareous iron-rich clay soils and galets roulet (the rolled stones) sitting on the surface and radiating warmth back to the vines. With all these pluses, it is hard to believe that not a single one of their delicious wines retails for north of $30!
Their under-the-radar status may change soon, however: Hélène and her son Aurélien Thibon were the subject of a new documentary called Weed and Wine. This excellent documentary follows two families—one in the wine industry and one in the weed industry. Both families go through a year of production with each discussing and living through the problems of navigating challenging economic markets, regulations, climate change, and family legacy.
For our purposes, the documentary portion that covers Mas de Libian follows the return of Aurélien to the family estate as he assumes the mantle of cellar manager while his mother Hélène takes a more focused view in the vineyards. They go through a particularly difficult harvest, but they work through it as a family. It is a celebration of what farmers and families do every year through the lens of this dynamic and interesting family. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when the family is having dinner outside at the domaine. They are discussing their day-to-day lives, challenging each other, discussing family issues—basically forgetting there is a camera and just living.
The 2023 Mas de Libian "Vin de Pétanque" Vin de France $12.99 will always make me remember this scene because this is exactly the wine you want to have with family on a Sunday afternoon. It’s perfect to drink while you are waiting for the food to hit the table, or throwing a ball while playing Pétanque, its namesake lawn game that is akin to Bocce Ball. The fruit for this wine is sourced from young vines on the property. It is made with Grenache, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Syrah and Vaccarèse. It is a delightful red to drink with a light chill. This is a juicy, fruity wine that belongs in everyone’s weeknight or Sunday afternoon rotation.
On another note—we have the new 2023 Mas de Libian wines landing in quick succession, but there are still some 2022s in stock. To make room for these new arrivals, we have excellent pricing on these, so please check out this list and stock up at invitingly low prices!
2022 Mas de Libian "Bout d'Zan" Côtes-du-Rhône $9.99
2022 Mas de Libian "Khayyam" Côtes-du-Rhône $15.99