Domaine Cabirau ‘Serge & Marie’ Maury Sec AOP
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Domaine Cabirau Maury Sec ‘Serge & Marie’ is a highly-regarded, value-driven French red from the Languedoc-Roussillon region.
- The wine is made from old vines, including 60-year-old Grenache, planted on steep schist-dominated slopes.
- This is a “Maury Sec,” meaning a dry wine from the historically sweet Maury region, showcasing a modern style.
Varietal Composition: 68% Grenache, 32% Carignan
Elaboration: Manually harvested. Gentle, quick fermentation. Matured in large old oak vessels (foudres or demi-uids), avoiding new oak.
Tasting Notes: This is a rich, full-bodied red wine primarily made from Grenache, with Carignan as a secondary grape. It features dark fruit flavors such as cherry, blackberry, and plum, along with floral notes of violets and lilac. Additionally, it has herbal hints of tobacco and sage, and spice elements including pepper and sandalwood. The wine possesses earthy undertones and a supple, velvety texture with soft tannins, leading to a long, spicy finish that offers excellent value. It’s characterized as seamless and elegant, full of ripe fruit, with a well-balanced acidity and firm yet silky tannins.
PRESS
2019 – 92 Jeb Dunnuck | 90 Wine Advocate
2021 – 93 Jeb Dunnuck | 89 – 91 Wine Advocate
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
From 1980 to 2007, importer Dan Kravitz sold OPW (other people’s wine). In 2007, he acquired 13.5 acres of Grenache vineyards in Roussillon, France, with 10 acres of 20-year-old vines and 3.5 acres of 60-year-old vines. By 2018, the vineyard expanded to 23 acres, including Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Macabeu, with offerings like a Roussillon blend and a flagship “Maury Sec.” In 2008, Dan joined La Tautavelloise, which later merged to form VTV (Les Vignerons de Tautavel Vingrau), with his Cabirau becoming an ambassador for the cooperative, selling in Europe and the U.S., with plans to expand to Asia.