Through Metropolitan editorial staff
Published on
updated on 23 Jun 21 at 14:16
–
The second Diablovino tasting day, with its famous slogan “The devil is in the glass”, takes place this Saturday, June 26 at Mas Conscience, in the town of Saint-Jean-de-Fos, 25 km west of Montpellier. For this Diablovino # 2, Audrey Bonnet-Koenig, the new director and winegrower of Mas Conscience, but also, president of the association of winegrowers and winegrowers of the Hérault Valley – Lodévois Larzac, will take the public behind the scenes. AOP Terrasses du Larzac, certified organic farming.
In the olive grove
This Saturday, in the magical setting of the olive grove, with tables and chairs separated, sanitary measures oblige, will be present the winegrowers of the Domaine des 3 sens – Mas Cap d’Aniel – Clos Aguilem – Domaine Chemin Farrat – Le Clos des Combals Domaine des Olivèdes – Domaine de Ferrussac – Domaine La Rouquette – Mas Conscience – Mas des Brousses Domaine Fons Sanatis – Mas des Colibris – Bastide des Songes.
In the program
Wine tasting and winegrowers’ meetings from 11 am to 9 pm; visit of the cellar by the owner at 11:30 am / 12:30 pm / 2:30 pm / 3:30 pm, by reservation. Please note: places limited to 6 people per slot. Demonstration of plowing on horseback in the vines with Bulle by Benoît Braujou (winemaker of Domaine Fons Sanatis / Saint-Jean-de-Fos) from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Cuisine by Chef Emi: tapas from around the world and small dishes cooked with local products and a touch of exoticism. Lunch and end-of-day aperitif, without reservation: sorbets and ice cream by Le bar à glaces de Benjamin: with fresh local fruit and chocolates from the Chocolaterie du Blason de Clermont-l’Hérault. You can leave with a glass of silkscreen-printed wine tasting: 5 euros for the benefit of the Mas Conscience association. Meal from 5 p.m. to midnight by reservation. And also on the program: free wine tasting, sales of wines by the glass or by the bottle.
The next Diablovino meeting is set for Saturday July 17, at the Domaine de Ferrussac, in La Vacquerie-et-Saint-Martin-de-Castries. Lucile Carmet who manages the communication of Diablovino had the honor of being interviewed by Radio Clapas on 93.5 FM. To watch her http://www.radioclapas.fr
A new team
A new team has moved to Domaine Mas Conscience, route de Montpeyroux, in Saint-Jean-de-Fos, since last summer. At its head, Roman Kocholl. Its motto: preserve and renew this 15 hectare vineyard, which is grown organically. for ten years and registered on the fabulous terroir of the AOP Terrasses du Larzac. The director, Audrey Bonnet-Koenig, the new face of the estate, unveils this first vintage in spring 2021. The wines entirely blended and vinified by the winemaker are intended to sublimate this historic vineyard of the appellation founded in 2003 by the Vidal family. Audrey Bonnet-Koenig is therefore the new director of operations and winegrower. Until 2020, she managed La Pèira en Damaisèla (PDO Terrasses du Larzac). For five years, she vinified the cuvées from this neighboring estate of Mas Conscience, internationally recognized among the greatest in the region. Alsatian trained in Bordeaux as an agricultural engineer, Audrey Bonnet-Koenig worked in Denis Dubourdieu’s oenology laboratory, in South Africa, and at Château de Sérame, a 175-hectare estate in the Corbières, from 2006 to 2015. Commissioned by Roman Kocholl and his partner, new owners of Mas Conscience, his meeting was decisive in this new wine adventure. She develops the new wines of Mas Conscience in a spirit of continuity and renewal.
> Practice: for more info and for reservations: mail [email protected] / Internet: http://www.mas-conscience.com / Phone: 06 76 78 56 14
Interview. Roman Kocholl: “Everything I was looking for”
> Question : What was your background before buying Domaine Mas Conscience in 2020?
Roman Kocholl : I am 56 years old, I have two children. I have lived in the beautiful city of Hamburg for 25 years. For the past 20 years, I have been managing director and owner of a well-known digital agency, which was active across Europe.
How did you come up with the idea of owning a wine estate? Were France and Languedoc in particular your No. 1 destination?
After selling the agency in 2017, I just wanted to make the dream of my life come true! I grew up in a small wine village in southern Germany – and I love French wines. It couldn’t be another country! And it had to be Languedoc. La Livinière, La Clape, Faugères and Terrasses du Larzac were at the top of my short list. I am very happy to have arrived here in Terrasses du Larzac. Of course, for the quality of the wines, the vines, the terroir. But also, to find a beautiful place to live and work in a beautiful landscape.
What attracted you to Mas Conscience to take the plunge?
The estate had everything I was looking for. Not too big, not too small, great vineyards in Aniane, Puéchabon and Saint-Jean-de-Fos and a very good reputation in France. Not to mention the wines and the wonderful location.
How did you find out about Languedoc wines?
As a lover of Syrah and Grenache, my favorite wines, besides the southern Rhône, have long come from Languedoc. Here, a new generation of winemakers are trying to create great things. Always with very different successes, but with great conviction and fantastic results.
You are german. The interest of your compatriots in this wine region is growing. Is it a special link that you want to develop with Mas Conscience?
Wine merchants from particular cellars in Germany have been doing great persuasive work for years and adore Languedoc. But, apart from Belgium and Switzerland, there is still a lot of work to make known and appreciated the wonderful wines of Terrasses du Larzac in the rest of Europe. At Mas Conscience, we want to do our part and present great wines throughout Europe.
As a foreign owner, how do you see the Languedoc vineyard and more locally the Terrasses du Larzac PDO area?
I don’t consider myself a foreigner, I feel European. Things have changed a lot in Languedoc, which is unfortunately not the case everywhere in Europe. In particular, our marvelous, relatively recent appellation is still largely unknown outside of France.
How do you see this resumption of the Mas Conscience domain? What changes, investments or developments are in the pipeline?
Our previous owners have produced great wines and advanced organic farming. However, late work, especially in the cellar, has unfortunately often been overlooked. We will be investing a lot in cellar technology and aging over the next 12 months so that we can take quality to the next level.
Tell us about your team. How did you meet Audrey Bonnet-Koenig, the choice of Claude Gros as consultant oenologist?
As is often the case, it is the little coincidences in life that give developments the turning point. I met Audrey during a tasting at La Pèira and was immediately impressed by her enthusiasm, expertise and personality. However, I never thought we would work together 6 months later! But, luck would have it so and I am very happy. Having Claude in the team is of course a special honor for me. I already knew some of the great wines he had created and the fact that he has worked with Audrey for over 15 years can also be called a beautiful coincidence. Mas Conscience has been working in organic farming for a decade.
How important is organic to you and how do you see this pro-active approach in Languedoc compared to Germany?
Organic farming is very important to me. I wouldn’t want to run a conventionally grown winery. However, I am also of the opinion that it is not necessary to follow all the trends in organic viticulture and that it is not necessary to follow all the esoteric fashions. Languedoc, and in particular our appellation, is certainly a pioneer in organic viticulture. Germany is unfortunately still a developing country, even though many conversions have taken place in recent years and the awareness of winegrowers is slowly changing. However, the much more unfavorable climatic conditions in Germany should be taken as a small excuse. It is not only a question of the future of our vineyards, but of the future of our children!
Has this article been useful to you? Note that you can follow Métropolitain in the Mon Actu space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.
–
