Mas de Libian

New Vin de Pétanque, Rosé and an Ode to the Ardèche
Mas de Libian
To know something about the Ardèche region of France is to learn a lot about the wines of this inspirational producer. On the map, the Ardèche lies between Lyon in the north and Avignon in the south. Nestled in the hills rising west of the Rhône River, this department is often tagged as part of the wine-growing catchment of the Southern Rhône Valley. Yet with its gorges, waterfalls, forests, hiking trails and limestone and granite crags, this picture-book high-country could not feel more different from the landscape of the lower-lying Rhône basin. And its wines, too, are different.

Even if growing is seldom easy in this rocky part of France, vines such as Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre in the right hands thrive in the stony ancient river terraces and pockets of limestone. The cooler nights and prolonged growing season imbue its best wines with vitality—not to mention lower alcohols—seldom found in the wines from the valley floor. And just as the altitude changes, so does the language we find ourselves using to describe its wines. Even if we cannot call them cool-climate by any means, words like juicy, refreshing, buoyant, airy, digestible, etc., are no longer commonly linked with the wines of this region’s more famous neighbours to the south and east.

Mas de Libian is one of the few Ardèche growers who have crossed the vinous Rubicon. We have barely met a French winegrower who has not at least heard of Hélène Thibon and been seduced by one of her wines. Perhaps more importantly, in the longer term, Thibon’s biodynamic domaine has evolved as some kind of grower incubator, whereby its ‘graduates’ are helped to set themselves up as part of a regional community coalescing around themes of organic viticulture and low-intervention winemaking.

But it is what is in the glass that counts. Vintages come and go, yet all this grower’s wines never fail to manifest the vivid intensity and engaging personalities born from this estate’s earth-to-glass philosophy and exceptional vineyards rooted in the cooler and rocky province of the south. To paraphrase the great chef Claudia Roden, they resonate in the glass like a landscape in a bottle.

The Wines

Mas de Libian Vin de France Cave Vinum Blanc 2022
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Mas de Libian Vin de France Cave Vinum Blanc 2022

Biodynamic. Hélène Thibon’s small-batch white comes from a blend of low-cropped, hand-harvested Roussanne, Viognier and Clairette. There’s more Roussanne this year than usual (barrel-fermented and zero malo). The Viognier was raised entirely in cement and stainless-steel vats, while the Clairette was fermented in Stockinger demi-muids.

The latest release is another example of how sophisticated the whites from this part of France can be in the right hands. Aromatic, silky, and deftly woven, the contoured 2022 combines flavours of stone fruit, apricot kernel, citrus leaf and hawthorn blossom with impressive length and poise. It’s a deeper release this year, its fleshy palate countered by refreshing acidity and mouth-watering grip.

Hélène Thibon suggests serving this with “… chèvre fleshier cheese, or classic Mediterranean fish dishes. This is a white wine that can hold its own against a bit of garlic (though don’t get carried away).” From experience, we’ll throw terrine and grilled fish into the mix. Bon appétit.

“There are some delicious whites made in this southern tip of the Ardèche, and Mas de Libian’s Cave Vinum is one of the best.”
Matt Walls, Decanter
Mas de Libian Vin de France Cave Vinum Blanc 2022
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Mas de Libian Vin de France Buve Z'en Rosé 2023
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Mas de Libian Vin de France Buve Z'en Rosé 2023

Biodynamic. This disarmingly pretty rosé is drawn from the estate’s younger vines—spread across a selection of Mas de Libian’s rocky terroirs—and comprises one-third each of Grenache, Counoise and Syrah. Using the provençal model (although we should note these grapes have bags more flavour than those used to make 99% of Côtes de Provence), all three varieties were slowly pressed into tank after a short maceration and then fermented with wild yeasts. In our opinion, it is simply one of southern France's most appealing, mineral and delicious rosés. The new release is savoury and mouth-wateringly crisp, with the enticing scents of fresh berries and wild herbs and a silky, high-definition palate flecked by flavours of Burlat cherry and chalky tang. Get on the saucisson.

Mas de Libian Vin de France Buve Z'en Rosé 2023
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Mas de Libian Vin de France Vin de Pétanque 2023
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Mas de Libian Vin de France Vin de Pétanque 2023

Biodynamic. Sourced from an assortment of different terroirs—clay/limestone, galets roulés and sandy parcels—Mas de Libian’s consistently delicious vin de soif is based on high-grown Grenache (75%) with roughly equal amounts of Mourvèdre and Syrah (all destemmed). There is also a little fruit from the estate’s decade-old plantings of two southern Rhône natives, Counoise and Vaccarèse and a splash of Couston (the natural offspring of Grenache and Aubun Noir).

Pétanque refers to the popular provençal game of boules, and this wine is correspondingly built for splashing around with friends in casual settings. There was a short, five-day maceration, and the wine was raised exclusively in concrete tanks. It was bottled unfiltered, with only a smidge of sulphur employed. Delicious, crunchy freshness is the name of the game here—a brilliant high-country perfume of blue fruits, pulverised graphite and soft violet before the palate rolls off the bat with bouncy, thirst-quenching juiciness and sweet garrigue. It tastes like the nitrous oxide of the southern Rhône—the Ardèche in liquid form. Another vivacious Vin de Pétanque (is there any other?) and born to go with anything off a smoking grill.

“Attractive red robe; has a nicely airborne, neat red fruits on offer. The palate has a tuneful debut, a good stream of red fruits, raspberry, with life along the second half, and a fine dentelle-toothsome exit. The fruit is trim here. Ça passe, off we go. 13.75°.”
John Livingstone-Learmonth, Drink Rhône
Mas de Libian Vin de France Vin de Pétanque 2023
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Mas de Libian Côtes du Rhône Bout d'Zan Rouge 2022
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Mas de Libian Côtes du Rhône Bout d'Zan Rouge 2022

Biodynamic. This gem has become one of the smartest buys in our portfolio. It’s drawn from 35-year-old biodynamically managed vines rooted in a range of Mas de Libian’s highland Ardèche soils: some galets roulés (rolled alluvial ‘pudding’ stones); some sandy clay; and some lower-lying parcels on limestone soils. Give or take a few bunches, the blend is 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah, co-fermented (Hélène’s father once told her, “The earlier you consummate the marriage, the better the relationship!”) and raised in a mix of Stockinger foudre and cement vats.

Mas de Libian Côtes du Rhône Bout d'Zan Rouge 2022
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Mas de Libian Côtes du Rhône Khayyâm 2021
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Mas de Libian Côtes du Rhône Khayyâm 2021

Biodynamic. This wine is named in honour of the 11th century Persian poet, philosopher, booze-hound and mathematician, Omar Khayyam. This vibrant, supple bottling comes entirely from a single highland plot which is above the house at the top of the Saint Marcel d'Ardèche plateau. The site is littered with galets roulés and was planted between 1960 and 1980—mostly to Grenache, with 10% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre. Some 30% of the fruit was aged in large casks on lees, bringing a seductive, supple and layered texture to the bright, cleansing structure.

Again, the breezy character of the vintage shines through here; this is fresh and vibrant, brimming with purity of fruit and crunchy energy. It is also charming and perfumed, with bright blue fruits and touches of pepper and liquorice.

Again, the breezy character of the vintage shines through here; this is fresh and vibrant, brimming with purity of fruit and crunchy energy. It is also charming and perfumed, with bright blue fruits and touches of pepper and liquorice.

Mas de Libian Côtes du Rhône Khayyâm 2021
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Mas De Libian Côtes du Rhône La Calade 2021
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Mas De Libian Côtes du Rhône La Calade 2021

Biodynamic. La Calade is the Mourvèdre-dominant cuvée of the Mas de Libian line-up, finessed by 10% Grenache—a unique wine that we believe deserves a wider audience. Granted, it is labelled as a humble Côtes du Rhône, yet it offers the depth and class usually associated with a top Gigondas, Rasteau or Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Calade is old Provençal patois for a steep, stony path, which gives you an insight into the terroir for this wine. It comes from a very low-yielding parcel of 50-year-old vines (grown in galets roulés) that run between 1.5 and three metres deep. Almost half of this wine is vinified in glass and porcelain jars, which Hélène believes brings more freshness than oak or steel, as well as helping to avoid reduction. The remainder sees time in 600L Stockinger demi-muids (oak is the servant, not the master) and cement.

The 2021 is a compelling wine with livewire energy, cool freshness, perfumed elegance and densely concentrated and complex flavours. Finely woven aromas of bright fruits, earth, pepper spice and some salty minerality are jointed to beautifully integrated oak, acidity and al dente tannins; it strikes an impressive balance. In our experience, few Mourvèdre wines from the south combine refreshment and satisfaction like this. It will taste even better with a light decant and a ribeye cooked over flame.


The 2021 is a compelling wine with livewire energy, cool freshness, perfumed elegance and densely concentrated and complex flavours. Finely woven aromas of bright fruits, earth, pepper spice and some salty minerality are jointed to beautifully integrated oak, acidity and al dente tannins; it strikes an impressive balance. In our experience, few Mourvèdre wines from the south combine refreshment and satisfaction like this. It will taste even better with a light decant and a ribeye cooked over flame.

Mas De Libian Côtes du Rhône La Calade 2021
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