Domaine Lucas Berthuit - Lum del Pais 2024
Located in Pépieux, in the Aude region, between the Languedoc plain and the foothills of the Montagne Noire, Lucas Berthuit is one of those young winemakers seeking a different interpretation of the South. His estate, born around a vineyard of a few hectares, is set in a landscape of light, wind, and contrasting soils, where Mediterranean grape varieties can retain an astonishing freshness when harvested with precision. The approach favors simple gestures, manual harvesting, spontaneous fermentations, and limited cellar intervention. The goal is not a sunny, broad, or demonstrative wine, but a clearer, more vibrant, almost airy expression of Languedoc. Lum del Pais 2024 lives up to its name: a light of the land, more than warmth, with a soft, precise, and deeply southern identity. This white Vin de France continues the work of highlighting southern grape varieties without weighing them down. It offers a bright and sincere interpretation of grenache gris and vermentino, in a style that is both textured, fresh, and very digestible.
This cuvée blends equal parts grenache gris and vermentino, two grape varieties that naturally complement each other in this area. Grenache gris brings a more enveloping body, notes of ripe fruit, a slightly spicy sensation, and the discreet depth often found in great Mediterranean whites. Vermentino, also called rolle, balances the blend with its aromatic brightness, citrus notes, fine bitterness, and ability to keep the palate fresh. The grapes come from gravelly and red clay soils, two components that give the wine both relief, suppleness, and a form of earthy tension. The vines are trained in simple guyot and goblet styles, on plots converting to organic farming. Vinification is done by direct pressing after manual harvesting in crates, then aging continues for nine months in demi-muids. This aging choice gives Lum del Pais 2024 a more polished texture than a white aged only in tank, without masking freshness or fruit.
The color should present as a bright light yellow with discreet golden reflections. The nose evokes white peach, ripe pear, candied lemon, dried flowers, and fresh almond, then reveals a more southern nuance of blond herbs and warm stone. On the palate, the wine immediately finds its balance between a supple, almost caressing body and a clear tension that gives it momentum. Grenache gris adds volume, but vermentino tightens the finish around citrus, fine bitterness, and a very pleasant saline sensation. The whole remains bright, precise, with a tender aromatic profile and a fresher finish than its southern origin might suggest. This white will pair very well with grilled fish, plancha squid, herb-roasted poultry, roasted vegetables, citrus burrata, shellfish risotto, or a lightly aged goat cheese. Served around 10 to 11°C, it benefits from not being too cold to allow its texture, discreet aging, and subtle southern character to express themselves.
Grape varieties: 50% grenache gris, 50% vermentino
