Château Maris is a Demeter-certified estate vineyard and winery located in the Minervois La Livinière region of Languedoc, France. It produces Pays d’Oc IGP, Languedoc AOP, Minervois AOC, and Minervois-La Livinière AOC.

Owner: Robert Eden.

Vineyards: 32 hectares (79 acres).

Wine production  27,000 cases of which 15,000 certified Biodynamic and 12,000 certified organic (IBWC 2018).

Biodynamic Certification: 2002 First vintage with full organic certification. | 2008 First vintage with full Demeter Biodynamic certification.

Winery: The winery is located on the outskirts of the commune of La Livinière. It was built using hemp (straw) bricks which capture carbon dioxide. It has a green roof (‘toit végétal’) covered in vegetation. The conical wooden vats were made by Grenier in Burgundy and can be used for both fermentation or storage (with moveable tops). Robert Eden told me in 2016 that he had asked Nomblot to design concrete vats without metal supports and they told him the only way they had found was to use an egg shape.

White wines

Brama: 2011 Vin de France. Grenache Gris from La Livinière. | 2013 Vin de France. Grenache Gris from La Livinière. Fermented in 500-litre tonneaux and a concrete egg. No MLF. 22hl. Lovely acidity, very youthful (Millésime Bio 2016).

Pink wines

Rosé de Nymphe Emu: 2017 Grenache Noir.

Red wines

Château Maris: 2015 Chateau Maris, Minervois AOC. Syrah, GN. 100% destemmed. Fermented in concrete. Bright red fruit (Millésime Bio 2016).

La Touge: Robert Eden described La Touge to me (in 2014) as ‘an area of La Livinière on what we call the terraces. The lower part of La Touge comprises a unique layer of schist over alluvial clay and a mix of hard and softer limestone, providing perfect drainage for Syrah.’ | 2009 85% Syrah, 15% Grenache Noir. Bright, clear and with good lift (Millésime Bio 2012). | 2010 Fermented in concrete tanks and conical oak vats. Part-aged in older barrels. 80,000 bottles. Good lift (Millésime Bio 2012). | 2012 Minervois-La Livinière AOC. | 2014 Syrah with a bit of Grenache Noir. 800hl in total of which 100hl from the bottom part of La Touge was oak aged. | 2016 Bright, sappy fruit (IBWC 2018).

Las Combes: Grenache Noir. 1950s. Gobelet. 300 metres (feet). In east-facing valleys or coombes in La Livinière, hence ‘combe’. Poor clay-limestone soil with crimson coloured chalky-clay. | 2013 Minervois la Livinière AOC. Aged in a mix of conctrete and oak vats. Ripe-tasting Grenache Noir with a twist of warming alcohol at the end (Millésime Bio 2016).

Les Amandiers: 2015 Minervois la Livinière AOC. Old vine Syrah. Plenty of grunt (IBWC 2018).

Les Ancient: Formerly called ‘Les Vieilles Vignes’. Made mainly from Carignan (so should not really be labelled as a Minervois La Livinière) whose robust nature accounts for it success here. | 2014 Minervois la Livinière AOC. (Carbonic maceration, I think). Very nice and bright (Millésime Bio 2016). | 2015 Minervois la Livinière AOC. Wild, dense (IBWC 2018).

Les Planels: Syrah. Terraced vines. | 2013 Minervois-La Livinière AOC. 100% Syrah. 10% oak. Bold colour, opulent old viney depth (Millésime Bio 2016).

Contact

Château Maris

Chemin des Parignoles

34210 La Livinière (Hérault), France

Tel+33 (0)4.68.91.42.63 | Website: www.chateaumaris.com

International Biodynamic Wine Conference, San Francisco 6-7th May 2018. Visit 25th September, 2001. Telephone conversation with Bertie Eden on Monday evening 2nd February 2004.