From the Cooperative to Whatever Is Possible
Domaine du Possible is one of Roussillon's most beloved and playful natural wine estates — a 10.2-hectare property founded by Loïc Roure in 2003 in the Agly Valley, near the village of Lansac. The estate's name is a brilliant double entendre: a riff on the classic French "Domaine de ____" that simultaneously means "doing something to the best of one's ability" and "whatever is possible." This spirit of creative wordplay infuses everything Loïc does — from the pun-heavy labels ("Tout bu, or not tout bu," "C'est pas la mer à boire," "Charivari") to the wines themselves, which are fresh, vibrant, and full of life. In 2003, Loïc purchased a former cooperative cellar that had been closed for 13 years, transforming it into the heart of his natural wine operation. He farms organically across diverse soils — clay and limestone, granite, gneiss, and schist — cultivating Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache Gris, and Macabeu. His approach is deliberately hands-on: soils worked by crawler tractor and regular tractor, spring treatments with sulfur and occasional Bordeaux mixture, green work considered essential to minimise chemical intervention. In the cellar, he uses semi-carbonic and whole-cluster fermentation with indigenous yeasts, controlling fermentation temperatures for 40% of the wines. A light sulfiting at bottling — always under 10 mg/litre — is the only addition. The result is wines that are meant to be fresh, bright, and easy-to-drink: low extraction, low alcohol, with focus on fruit, minerality, and acidity. Wines that prove that in the hot south of France, elegance and drinkability are not just possible — they are the point.
From Abandonment to the Heart of Natural Wine
The Loïc Roure story begins with a derelict building — a former cooperative cellar in Lansac, in the Agly Valley of Roussillon, that had been closed for 13 years when Loïc discovered it in 2003. The cellar was abandoned, forgotten, a relic of the industrial wine era that had collapsed under its own weight. But Loïc saw possibility where others saw ruin. He purchased the building and set about transforming it into the heart of his natural wine operation — a space that would become not just a winery but a gathering point for the natural wine community in one of France's most exciting wine regions.
The Agly Valley, and specifically the village of Latour-de-France nearby, has become an epicentre of the natural wine movement in France. Following in the footsteps of pioneers like Clos du Rouge Gorge, Domaine du Possible, and Le Bout du Monde, nearly every independent vigneron in the area has embraced natural winemaking. The region attracts a strange and wonderful mixture of locals, scruffy crusties, hipsters, and international wine professionals — a testament to the magnetic pull of authentic, living wine.
Loïc's approach from the beginning was rooted in organic farming and minimal intervention. He took over vineyards that had been neglected or conventionally farmed and converted them to organic cultivation — certified and rigorous. The work was hard: restoring old vines, rebuilding soil health, and learning to farm without the chemical crutches that the previous generation had relied upon. But Loïc persisted, driven by a belief that Roussillon's diverse terroirs could produce wines of freshness and elegance, not just the heavy, alcoholic styles that dominated the region's reputation.
In 2008, Loïc expanded his vision by founding "En attendant la pluie" — a négoçiant business that allowed him to work with grapes from other growers and create additional cuvées. The name, meaning "Waiting for the Rain," captures the poetic, patient spirit of a vigneron who understands that wine is made in partnership with nature, not in defiance of it. Today, Domaine du Possible stands as one of Roussillon's most respected natural wine estates — a testament to what can be achieved when creativity, humour, and serious viticultural commitment converge.
"Perhaps the most pun-heavy estate we work with. Even the estate name, a riff on the very classic 'Domaine de ____' is a double entendre: doing something to the best of one's ability but also 'whatever is possible.'"
— Louis/Dressner Selections
Gneiss, Schist, Granite & Clay-Limestone — Organic by Necessity
Domaine du Possible's vineyards are spread across approximately 10.2 hectares in the Agly Valley, with an additional négoçiant operation. The estate's own vines are planted across a remarkable diversity of soil types — clay and limestone, granite, gneiss, and schist — creating a complex tapestry of terroirs that Loïc blends and bottles separately according to their distinct characters. This geological diversity is one of the Agly Valley's greatest assets, alongside Alsace, it constitutes the most geologically diverse wine region in France.
The white grape varieties — Macabeu, Carignan Gris, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, and Carignan Blanc — are around 60 years old and planted on gneiss, grey schist, and granitic sand soils. These old vines give the white wines extraordinary concentration and mineral depth. The Grenache Noir is grown on two parcels: one hectare planted in 1966 on schistous terroir in Lansac, and a second parcel of 50 ares planted in 1982 at Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes on marly schist soils. The Syrah is found on gneiss soils at Cassagnes (30 ares) and Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes (1.70 hectares) on marly schist — the vines average around 30 years old.
Farming is certified organic and intensely hands-on. Loïc works 5.7 hectares with a crawler tractor (chenillard) and 4.5 hectares with a regular tractor — a total of about 10 hectares of meticulous labour. Spring treatments use sulfur and, depending on the vintage, Bordeaux mixture, sometimes supplemented with various plant infusions. Green work is considered essential to minimise chemical intervention, and sowing trials are underway on tractor-accessible parcels. It is, as one observer noted, "a titan's work" — the kind of relentless physical labour that defines true natural viticulture.
Yields are kept low and focused on quality: the average yield for 2019 was 34 hectolitres per hectare, and for 2018 only 23 hl/ha — well below regional averages. This restraint in the vineyard translates directly into concentration and complexity in the bottle. The vines are hand-harvested, with careful sorting to ensure only the healthiest fruit enters the cellar.
Clay-limestone, granite, gneiss, and schist. The most geologically diverse region in France alongside Alsace. Each soil type gives distinct character. Whites on gneiss and schist. Reds on schist and marl. The full geological breadth of the Agly Valley.
White varieties 60+ years old. Grenache Noir from 1966. Syrah averaging 30 years. Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache Gris, Macabeu. Heritage varieties preserved and celebrated. Low yields: 23–34 hl/ha.
Crawler tractor and regular tractor work. Sulfur and Bordeaux mixture treatments. Plant infusions as supplements. Green work essential. Sowing trials underway. No herbicides, no synthetic shortcuts. Titan's work, daily.
Lansac and Latour-de-France — the heart of Roussillon natural wine. Following Clos du Rouge Gorge and Le Bout du Monde. A community of independent vignerons. The magnetic pull of authentic, living wine.
Semi-Carbonic, Indigenous Yeasts & <10mg/L Sulfur
At Domaine du Possible, the cellar philosophy is one of freshness, drinkability, and minimal intervention. Loïc's wines are deliberately made to be "fresh, bright and easy-to-drink" — low in extraction, low in alcohol, with the focus squarely on fruit, minerality, and acidity rather than power or heaviness. This is a radical proposition in the hot Roussillon climate, where many wines traditionally skew towards high alcohol and dense tannins. But Loïc proves, vintage after vintage, that the south can produce wines of elegance, vitality, and sheer pleasure.
The techniques are precise and consistent:
Harvest: All grapes are hand-harvested and carefully sorted. Selection begins in the vineyard and continues at the cellar door. Only perfectly healthy, ripe fruit enters the fermentation vessels. The low yields and meticulous farming ensure that the fruit arrives at the cellar in optimal condition.
Vinification: Whole-cluster fermentation is the norm — a little carbonic maceration, but mostly semi-carbonic, and sometimes destemmed depending on the vintage and the parcel. Fermentation occurs naturally with indigenous yeasts, allowing the unique microbial population of the cellar and the grapes to drive the process. For 40% of the wines, fermentation temperatures are controlled with refrigeration systems — a pragmatic approach that prevents the heat of the south from pushing the wines towards heaviness.
Ageing: Wines are aged to allow natural development and stability. The focus is on preserving the vibrant, youthful character of the fruit while allowing the diverse terroirs to express themselves. Old barrels and tanks are used to avoid adding oak character that would mask the purity of the fruit.
Bottling: A light sulfiting may be performed at bottling — always less than 10 mg per litre, and often with none at all. The wines are bottled without fining or filtration, preserving their natural vitality and honest expression. This minimal sulfur approach requires impeccable hygiene and healthy fruit, as there are no chemical safety nets.
The portfolio is a vibrant, pun-filled range of red, white, and rosé cuvées, each with a playful name that hides serious intent behind a smile:
"C'est pas la mer à boire" ("It's Not the Sea to Drink"): The estate's most complex and profound red — a blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Carignan, and 20% Syrah. Deep, structured, and savoury, with dark fruit, Mediterranean herbs, and a long, mineral finish. The name is a French expression meaning "it's not that difficult" — a humble understatement for a wine of real depth.
"Tout bu, or not tout bu" ("All Drunk, or Not All Drunk"): A play on Hamlet's famous soliloquy — "To be, or not to be" — this is a Grenache and Mourvèdre blend that is all about easy drinkability. Juicy, bright, and utterly charming. The name suggests its irresistible quality: once opened, the bottle tends to disappear.
"Le Fruit du Hasard" ("The Fruit of Chance"): A certified organic blend of Carignan and Syrah from 45-year-old vines. Unfined, unfiltered, with 15 days of semi-carbonic maceration. Fresh, vibrant, and full of the happy accidents that make natural wine exciting.
"Charivari": A lively, energetic cuvée — the name refers to a boisterous, chaotic celebration, and the wine lives up to it. Full of fruit, spice, and the joyful disorder of a good party.
"Danse encore" ("Dance Again"): A white wine that invites movement and pleasure. Fresh, mineral, and full of the luminous energy that defines Loïc's best whites.
"Cours toujours" ("Keep Running"): Another white cuvée — persistent, forward-moving, full of momentum and life. The kind of wine that keeps you coming back for another sip.
"L'Eau à la Bouche" ("Mouth-Watering"): A red blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan that does exactly what the name promises — it makes your mouth water. Juicy, savoury, and impossible to resist.
"Toubifri" & Other Négoçiant Cuvées: Through "En attendant la pluie," Loïc creates additional wines from purchased organic grapes — expanding his range and his creative playground while maintaining the same standards of purity and minimal intervention.
"C'est pas la mer à boire" — "The Most Complex and Profound Red from 70% Grenache"
The "C'est pas la mer à boire" is Domaine du Possible's most distinctive and profound red cuvée — a blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Carignan, and 20% Syrah that demonstrates what happens when old vines, diverse terroirs, semi-carbonic fermentation, and minimal sulfur converge in a single bottle.
The grapes are hand-harvested from the estate's parcels across the Agly Valley — Grenache from the 1966-planted schistous parcel in Lansac and the 1982 marly schist parcel at Caudiès-de-Fenouillèdes; Carignan from old vines on gneiss and schist; Syrah from the gneiss soils of Cassagnes and the marly schist of Caudiès. The bunches undergo semi-carbonic maceration in whole clusters, allowing intracellular fermentation to extract vibrant berry flavours, soft tannins, and a juicy, approachable texture. Fermentation is with indigenous yeasts, with temperature controlled for part of the process to preserve freshness in the hot southern climate.
After pressing, the wine completes fermentation and ages briefly in neutral vessels to preserve its character without adding oak weight. Bottled with less than 10 mg/litre of sulfur — often with none at all — and without fining or filtration, "C'est pas la mer à boire" is a wine of radical honesty.
In the glass, it is deep ruby with a garnet rim. The nose is a complex weave of dark cherry, blackberry, plum, Mediterranean herbs, black pepper, and a distinct mineral stoniness from the schist and gneiss soils. The palate is medium-bodied and savoury, with vibrant acidity, gentle tannins, and a long, fresh finish that speaks of the Agly Valley's unique geological diversity. This is not a wine for power or heaviness; it is a wine for depth, for pleasure, for the moment when you need something that tastes like the south of France at its most honest and most alive. Serve at 14–16°C. Drink young to medium term. ~$25–$35 / ~€22–€32.
The Domaine du Possible Range
Loïc Roure produces a vibrant, pun-filled portfolio from his 10.2 hectares of certified organic vineyards in Lansac and surrounding communes in the Agly Valley, Roussillon, plus négoçiant cuvées through "En attendant la pluie." All estate wines are hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts using semi-carbonic and whole-cluster techniques, and bottled without fining or filtration with less than 10 mg/litre of sulfur. The portfolio spans juicy reds, mineral whites, and fresh rosés — each expressing the fruit, minerality, and acidity that define Loïc's fresh, bright, easy-drinking philosophy. Prices are approximate and in USD/EUR.
-
Online Retailers
Suff Berlin: This German wine shop focuses on natural wines and has carried the popular "Le Fruit du Hasard" cuvée.
Titulus: A Belgian retailer that has a good selection of natural wines from France, including Domaine du Possible.
Primal Wine: An online shop in the U.S. that specializes in natural, organic, and biodynamic wines.