The 2009 Matassa Blanc - as usual, consisting of Grenache Gris and Macabeu - was bottled just before Christmas, earlier than usual to preserve liveliness, although, if anything, Lubbe has been inclined to release his 2009 whites a bit later than usual, thinking they need time to work themselves out in bottle. Here, the Grenache Gris-typical pungency as well as tactile impingement of citrus zest (grapefruit and lime especially) and of seeming mineral matter are accentuated, but at the same time so is the variety's nuttiness, and there is an overall lushness and softness borne of the vintage. An alkaline mineral note and mouthwatering salinity follow all the way from the nose to the long finish of a wine that should be intriguing to follow for several years. As so often with this vintage, though, I miss the floral dimension that can be such a haunting trait of Grenache Gris. Tom Lubbe - for much more about whose work, consult my report in issue 183 - continues to experiment and fine tune, and there are some new cuvees and ideas here since I last visited. Speaking of which, beginning with 2011, Lubbe will have some old and impeccably cared-for foudres to utilize, as he was able to pick them up from Weingut Georg Breuer in Rudesheim whose cellar renovations were incompatible with their largest barrels. (Pity the freight company tasked with trucking them up to Calce!) I quizzed Lubbe this year about his reliance on so little sulfur; and he sought to assure me that "'tis enough, 'twill serve." But he also noted that contrary to widespread practice among advocates of low sulfur, he applies his sole dosage not at bottling, but rather right after the wine comes out of malo, so as to shock it only once; to have longer to observe the emergence of any potential problems; and above all because he believes that this is the most vulnerable moment in a wine's elevage, and hence the point, if any, at which it requires sulfuring. Lubbe notes that despite the drought in 2008, his vines produced a larger crop (relatively speaking!) than in other (warmer) recent vintages. He shares an opinion I heard from quite a few growers in the wake of recent experience that ultimately it's heat, not drought, that by promoting shut-down wreaks mischief with quality. (Incidentally, New Zealand-born Sam Harrop M.W. - known inter alia for his work in the Loire - is now no longer a partner in Matassa.)Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY; tel. (212) 334 8191