Mas de Casalas is a small 3.5 hectare wine estate in the middle of the Uchaux massif (Vaucluse), certified organic since 2010 but practicing biodynamics since the origin of the estate in 2005.

The vines are very old (between 60 and 100 years old).

The grape varieties found there are traditional from the Rhône:

• In red: Grenache, Carignan, Cinsaut, Mourvèdre.
• In white: white Carignan, white and gray Grenache, white and rose Clairette, Bourboulenc, Piquepoul, Muscat Petit Grain, Viognier, Picardon, Roussanne, Marsanne.

The terroir is made up of calcareous siliceous sands and sandstones (called Safres or Rayas) perfectly suited to growing vines. Thus, like the lovely colors of the wines produced, the soils (containing iron oxides) take on a beautiful orange hue.

The vines also benefit from a northern exposure and are thus protected from humidity and diseases thanks to the Mistral.

The Casalas plots are among the highest in the Uchaux massif appellation (Côtes-du-Rhône villages).

Jérôme Hue is the happy winemaker owner of this little corner of paradise.

Its priority being to respect the nature of its terroir, the treatments used are copper and sulfur at levels well below the thresholds authorized by the ECOCERT certification specifications.

These treatments are supplemented by biodynamic preparations: silica and dung, decoctions of nettles and horsetails, clay and whey.

Although all the concepts of biodynamics are applied, the estate did not request Biodyvin certification for purely financial reasons.

Work on the plots is done with a tractor.

The harvest is manual with the trailer attached to a quad, lighter and less polluting than other agricultural vehicles.

Then work in the cellar begins:

Jérôme is keen to exploit all the facets of his terroir. Also, vinification and aging are done in concrete, stainless steel, resin vats or barrels and half-barrels depending on the desired characteristics.

60 to 70% of the stems are preserved in winemaking. The objective is multiple: exploit the antioxidant character of ripe stalks, increase the volume of must, slow down fermentations naturally and thus limit artificial cooling of the wine.

Fermentations start spontaneously thanks to the native yeasts present on the skin of the grapes.

The mechanical pumping over of the juice is daily, as is the monitoring of temperatures and densities. Jérôme tastes his different juices every day to ensure the balance between acidity, sugars and tannins.

Its vinifications are slow and long (minimum 3 weeks).