Davoche Karaka 2023
- Region
- France » Vin de France
- Type
- white still, dry
- Producer
- Vintage
- 2023
- Grapes
- Macabeo, Grenache blanc
- Alcohol
- 12
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- not available
This is a white wine made with one week of skin-contact maceration, crafted from a 50/50 blend of Macabeu and Grenache Blanc. The vineyards, aged 80 and 14 years respectively, are planted on schist slate soils.
The Grenache Blanc was harvested at just 11.5% potential alcohol and destemmed, while the Macabeu, picked at 13%, was left whole bunch. This careful balance resulted in a perfectly ripe final wine at 12% ABV.
To refine its texture, the wine was aged for nine months in a mix of old oak barrels, which helped soften the tannins, giving it a rounded mouthfeel. Following this, the wine was bottle-aged for an additional six months before its release.
Ratings
A solid wine, and a fascinating one to sip after so many wines from Matassa. Sure, it doesn't reach the same depths as some of the heavier hitters, but it holds its ground with confidence. The youth shows - it's still a little reserved - but there's clear muscle under the surface. Herbaceous notes, pencil shavings, orange peel, and a cool menthol lift wrap around a core of good, bright fruit. Complex, but not trying to impress - just doing its own thing with quiet charm. Playful and seriously tasty.
Playing hard to get at first, but patience reveals a serious orange wine that's clearly read its classics. Sure, youth is holding it back a bit, but there's real muscle under that reserved exterior. Think Carso-style attitude - herbaceous notes, orange peel, and this fascinating menthol freshness. Pencil shavings sneak in there too. It's like a good book - complex but not shouting about it, with layers you'll keep discovering.
About Producer
Tess Davison and Charles Ripoche's winemaking journey as Davoche Wines began in 2021 with a simple yet ambitious plan. They started with their négociant range, Clafoutis, working closely with trusted growers while simultaneously laying the groundwork for their own venture. Their patience paid off - they now tend to 2.5 hectares of heritage vines in Cassagnes, a windswept corner of Roussillon where the sun seems to have a special relationship with the soil.
Their backgrounds read like a gastronomic adventure novel. Tess, an Australian native, earned her stripes in some of Europe's most prestigious kitchens - Noma, Mugaritz, and Le Manoir - before trading her chef's knife for pruning shears and diving into oenology. Meanwhile, Charles, born and bred in the Loire Valley, learned his craft under wine world heavyweights: Antoine Foucault of Domaine du Collier (whose father Charly made Clos Rougeard legendary) and Cyril Fhal of Clos du Rouge Gorge. Their paths crossed at Felton Road in New Zealand - because sometimes the wine world has a sense of humour about bringing people together.
Now settled in southern France, they've embraced a philosophy that's both old-school and forward-thinking. Their approach to farming is hands-on and thoughtful - they're planting carob trees for nitrogen fixation, adding strawberry and peach trees for diversity, and creating homes for everything from bees to bats. They work biodynamically, making low-to-no sulfite, unfiltered wines with short macerations - a technique they picked up from their mentor Cyril Fhal.
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