What happens when the visionaries who have built and nurtured a beloved domaine are ready to retire but have no heirs to take over? We’ve been extraordinarily fortunate that, in our decades of working with small family domaines throughout France and Italy, we haven’t had to cross this bridge too often. But a few years ago, when Isabelle and Matthieu Champart were ready to wind down, it wasn’t immediately clear what would happen to their lifelong project.
     Having settled in Saint-Chinian fifty years ago in 1976, Isabelle, a Paris native, and Matthieu sold their grapes to the local cave coopérative for over a decade until they bottled their first wine in 1988. Ever on the hunt, Kermit discovered them soon thereafter and, in an early notice to readers, he wrote, “Keep your eye on Mas Champart. Everything they have shipped so far has been remarkable.” Their rosé quickly became one of our staff and clients’ favorites from southern France. Their reds brimmed with depth, spice, and soul. And then they even added some classy and scintillating white blends including one from Terret planted in 1900. By the time Isabelle and Matthieu were ready to retire, they had created a local and regional treasure—one that couldn’t simply fade or be absorbed into another property.
     Enter Noémie Vidil, a young and hungry Bordeaux native who, like Matthieu, trained in Champagne. After working briefly in Paris wine circles, Noémie realized that, in all of France, the Languedoc held the most exciting potential for an aspiring vigneronne. She moved to the region and spent years consulting for a wide range of domaines, honing her skills and vision. She fell in love with the Languedoc’s natural beauty and its unrivaled trove of old vines, many of them dating back a century. When Isabelle and Matthieu were ready to pass the torch, Noémie was ready to receive it. She spent time in the cellar with Isabelle and in the vines with Matthieu, learning the ins and outs of Saint-Chinian from the couple who had put this appellation on the map.
     Noémie’s first vintage was 2023, and we couldn’t be happier with what we’re seeing. She remains devoted to the domaine’s gobelet-trained vines, which, despite their being more difficult and expensive to work, protect the grapes and provide shade, yielding more freshness in the wines. She works the soil organically and allows sheep to graze in the vineyard—and fertilize it—during the off-season. And, most importantly, she aims for wines of freshness and approachability that retain their Saint-Chinian soul, which Isabelle and Matthieu had captured so well.
     If you have never tried the wines of Mas Champart, or haven’t tasted them in a while, now is a great time to tune back in to the story of one of the south’s great domaines. We are excited to watch Noémie carry the Mas Champart baton.