Max Kilburg
The traditional heart of wine country in Languedoc is quite boring: flat, fertile vineyards producing oceans of supermarket plonk. But Languedoc is large, and it contains many secret nooks and crannies. Leave the big vineyards behind and drive towards the border with Spain. The terrain is arid and dry, and rocky outcrops surge out of nowhere, like in a classic Western. The outcrops get bigger and taller as you approach the foothills of the Pyrenées. The air cools as the altitude rises. Pull off the road in just the right place and you will find, scattered here and there, rows of ancient vines, mostly Carignan. You will wonder how those vines manage to grow. There is no soil on the ground, just loose rocks sitting on a hard surface of schist and limestone. You are in the Hautes Corbières, the cranny that Maxime Magnon discovered in 2002 when he drove down from Burgundy. The vines were then abandoned, and it became his life's work to nurse them back to life, to make from them wines that evoke the exoticism of the surrounding landscape. Since the beginning, he has done so using fully natural methods, both among the vines and in the winery.
Details
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Grape Variety
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Vintage
2024
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Size
750ml
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Sweetness
Off-Dry
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Body
Medium Bodied
German Wines
Is there a better grape than Riesling? Is there a better value? Its fruit purity, its perfume, and its mineral nuance are all unparalleled. And for centuries, the top German Rieslings were priced accordingly: at least as expensive as the top red wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. But nowadays you could spend a lifetime exploring Germany’s great Riesling-producing regions while staying well within your budget. You might take an occasional break to try Germany’s other white grapes or perhaps a glass of Spätburgunder (the local name for Pinot Noir). It’s time to get started!
