Tom LubbePale Reds & Dark Whites
From South Africa and New Zealand to the foothills of the Pyrenees—pioneering natural wine in Roussillon since 2003 with 100+ year old vines, zero sulfur since 2015, and a soil health obsession that dropped alcohol from 13.5% to 10.5%.
From the Swartland to Calce—how a New Zealander raised in South Africa founded an iconoclastic estate in French Catalonia.
Tom Lubbe was born in New Zealand but grew up in South Africa, where he began his winemaking journey in the late 1990s. While working at a wine shop in Auckland, he discovered natural wine through Welgemeend—the only South African estate at the time using indigenous yeasts and low yields. Inspired, Tom made his first two vintages there, bottling by hand without sulfur, creating what some considered "weird bulls*&t" that would start a movement [^55^][^45^].
Seeking to learn Mediterranean varieties, Tom secured a three-month internship at the legendary Domaine Gauby in Calce, Roussillon. Gérard Gauby quickly befriended him, asking him to return for three consecutive vintages as cellar hand. It was here that Tom met Nathalie—Gérard's sister—who would become his wife and partner at Matassa [^45^][^55^].
In 2003, with the birth of their first child, Tom and Nathalie decided to stay in Calce rather than return to South Africa. They founded Domaine Matassa (named after the Catalan word for "thicket" or natural forest), producing their first vintage entirely in their living room. Gérard Gauby felt so bad about this that he gave Tom the old Gauby cellar in 2004 [^45^][^55^].
The original Matassa vineyard was a wild, unpruned plot surrounded by forest with 100+ year old Carignan vines—the logo (three trees in a square box) represents this "forest in a cultivated field," symbolizing the balance between nature and culture [^55^].
"Pale reds and dark whites"—whole bunch infusions, skin contact, early harvests, and the radical simplicity of organic matter.
Tom Lubbe's philosophy centers on "pale reds and dark whites"—light, fluid, easy-to-drink wines that combat the hot, heavy climate of Roussillon. He achieves this through extreme early harvesting (often starting Muscat in early August) and obsessive soil health management. The results are striking: alcohol levels dropped from 13.5% in 2005 to around 10.5% by 2018, with most wines now below 12% [^44^][^55^].
In the cellar, all wines undergo whole bunch fermentation with almost no extraction—reds are infused rather than macerated, often co-fermented with white grapes. Since 2008, all white wines receive skin contact (starting with the experimental Alexandria cuvée). Tom uses various vessels—concrete, fiberglass, foudre, amphorae—not for structure but for gentle oxygen exchange. Everything is bottled without filtration or fining, and no sulfur has been added since 2015 [^55^][^79^].
The vineyard focus is equally radical. Tom prioritizes composting (50-100 tons per vineyard) and ground cover over biodynamic mysticism, raising earthworm populations from 200kg to 2000kg per hectare. This soil life, he believes, fundamentally changes wine flavor—particularly malic acid retention. All wines are now intentionally declassified to Vin de France to maintain freedom of expression [^45^][^55^].
Dark Whites
10.5%
Calce and the Coteaux des Fenouillèdes—ancient schist, limestone, and granitic soils at 600m altitude.
Hectares
Approximately 20 hectares scattered around Calce and Espira-de-l'Agly in the foothills of the Pyrenees, including parcels in the Coteaux des Fenouillèdes up to 600m altitude and lower vineyards around 150m [^59^][^54^].
Year Old Vines
Vines range from 60 to over 120 years old, including ungrafted vines—a rarity in France. The original Matassa vineyard had 100+ year old Carignan surrounded by forest. Yields are exceptionally low: 12-18 hl/ha for old vines, 25-30 hl/ha for younger parcels [^50^][^51^].
Limestone
Soils include red schist (Alexandria vineyard), black slate and marl, limestone, clay, and granite. The Lieu-dit Coume de l'Olla features clay-limestone rich in iron. Exceptional biodiversity with intense microbial activity [^75^][^67^].
Whole bunch infusions and skin contact cuvées from ancient Catalan varieties—Muscat, Lladoner Pelut, Macabeu, and Carignan.
Coume de l'Olla Rouge
Tom's "everyday" wine from the Coume de l'Olla vineyard—a blend of Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, and Macabeu from 55-year-old vines on iron-rich clay-limestone. Light at ~11.5%, whole bunch macerated for 2 weeks, aged 8 months in concrete tanks to maintain fluidity. Red berries, Mediterranean herbs, bright acidity—the ultimate pale red [^67^][^73^].
Coume de l'Olla Blanc
A blend of old vine Macabeu, Muscat d'Alexandrie, and Muscat à Petits Grains from 45-year-old vines. Skin contact creates a textured, aromatic white/orange wine with notes of tangerine oil, orange blossom, and cardamom. Fermented and aged to preserve freshness while gaining complexity from grape skin contact [^68^][^74^].
Cuvée Alexandria
The flagship skin-contact wine—100% Muscat d'Alexandrie from 60-year-old vines on distinctive red schist soils (hence the name). Three weeks whole-cluster maceration with no extraction, aged in 2500L foudres. Bursting with lychee, mango, tea, orange peel, and roses. This 2008 experiment launched Matassa's skin-contact program [^69^][^75^][^83^].
Cuvée Romanissa
From the Romanissa vineyard (named for the rosemary that grows there), primarily Lladoner Pelut—the ancient Catalan "hairy" Grenache variant—along with other co-planted varieties. Light and vibrant with raspberry, cranberry, juniper berry, and smoky touches. Whole bunch fermented, pale and ethereal [^55^][^86^].
Tattouine
A refreshingly light blend of 90% Grenache Gris and 10% Grenache Noir with just 10% alcohol. Named evocatively (yes, like the Star Wars planet), this is the extreme expression of Tom's low-alcohol philosophy—crisp, pale, and utterly drinkable. Co-fermented whole bunches [^87^].
Matassa Rouge
The classic red—typically Carignan and Grenache from biodynamically farmed old vines rooted in schist and limestone. Intensely terroir-driven with fine tannin structure and vibrant acidity. From 30-115 year old vines, these wines demonstrate the concentrated complexity possible from ancient Catalan vineyards [^44^][^64^].
Blossom
Made from 100% whole bunch Muscat with a short maceration. Intensely floral with orange blossom, chamomile, and honey, finishing with a slightly nutty character. Aromatic and ethereal, this showcases the lighter side of Muscat d'Alexandrie through gentle whole bunch infusion [^49^].
Matassa Blanc
A blend of Muscat and Macabeu showing fine herbal spice, salty freshness, and floral notes. Skin contact adds texture while preserving the wine's fluid, easy-drinking character. Slightly "dark" in Tom's terminology—meaning textured and complex rather than heavy [^44^][^47^].
The Soil Activist
Tom Lubbe has evolved from the "wine rebel" making natural wine in his living room to one of the most progressive viticultural thinkers in the world. His obsessive focus on soil organic matter—raising earthworm populations tenfold through heavy composting—has created a model for climate resilience in Mediterranean viticulture. The drastic alcohol reduction he has achieved (3% over 15 years) proves that soil health directly moderates wine physiology [^44^][^55^].
As a mentor to the next generation—from South Africa's Testalonga and Intellego to Austria's Rennersistas—Tom has influenced natural winemaking globally. His discovery of an ancient Roman press (2-ton marble base) while building his new winery symbolizes his connection to deep history. In a region once considered a "no-go zone" for dry wines, Matassa has proven that Roussillon can produce wines of finesse, freshness, and terroir transparency—"pale reds and dark whites" that challenge every preconception about southern French wine [^55^][^44^].
- Born New Zealand, raised South Africa, based Roussillon
- Founded 2003 in Calce (first vintage in living room)
- Zero sulfur added since 2015 vintage
- Alcohol reduction: 13.5% (2005) to 10.5% (2018)
- All whites skin-contact since 2008
- All wines declassified to Vin de France
- 20 hectares, 60-120+ year old vines
- Ungrafted vines (rare in France)
- Composting: 50-100 tons per vineyard
- Earthworm populations: 200kg to 2000kg/ha
- Lladoner Pelut specialist (hairy Grenache)
- Whole bunch fermentation for all wines
- Early harvest specialist (Muscat in August)
- Married to Nathalie Gauby (sister of Gérard)
- Mentor to Testalonga, Intellego, Rennersistas