Our Story
When we bought the vineyard in 1997 we wanted to make the best wines in the Languedoc while working in harmony with nature – that is without applying pesticides or other chemicals. We looked at natural ways of rejuvenating the soil using compost.
First we carried out an experiment. Biodynamic preparations were added to one organic compost pile and another was left alone. After a while we discovered that the biodynamic pile contained far more living organisms and there was no doubt about the right course of action for the vineyard as a whole.
Thanks to biodynamic methods, our vines are now healthier and grow longer – and the quality of grapes is better.
Chateau Maris is now a 79-acre estate divided into a multitude of small vineyards on the hillside above the village of La Liviniere, the first Cru Classe of the Minervois, in the Languedoc region.
We have been certified by Ecocert since 2002, Biodyvin since 2004,Demeter since 2008 and BCorps since 2016.
A Biodynamic Philosophy
Biodynamic agriculture works with nature not against it and hence is beneficial for the environment. Just as importantly, we find it also enables us to produce better wines.
Chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other modern farming methods increase grape yields but they also poison the soil and mask the true terroir of the vineyard. To put it more simply: they strip the wine of any true flavor.
Biodynamics takes a radically different approach. It could be described as a holistic, ‘supercharged organic’ approach to winemaking.
Vines do not work in isolation. The soils, the organisms that live within them and all the living things that surround our vineyards are all part of a highly complex ecosystem that ultimately influences the quality and flavors of the grapes. It is our role to enable this ecosystem to work as effectively as nature intended because when it does, we are all able to enjoy the well-balanced, expressive and individual wines that are the result.
We believe that our methods produce the finest possible wines in the very best environment. We were the first estate in the AOC Minervois La Liviniere to be fully certified biodynamic and we are proud that our way of working will help secure the beauty of this place for generations to come.
Sustainability
"Producers confronting climate change head-on: Château Maris has taken green winery construction to a new level, building an entire facility out of lightweight, organic hemp-straw bricks that continue to capture and sequester carbon dioxide over many years as they harden."Dana Nigro. The Wine Spectator
The Change We Seek®
From the beginning, Château Maris focused on sustainable winemaking practices in both the vineyard and the cellar. The process began with the conversion of unhealthy vineyards that had been farmed using traditional practices into organic and biodynamic vineyards. The next step was building an environmentally friendly carbon neutral hemp brick cellar, the first of its kind in the world. The most recent accomplishment was joining the B Corps community.
Through B Corp, Château Maris has sought out a community of like-minded people, working with businesses that inspire thinking differently about solutions to environmental and social issues. The B Corp community helps reinforce Château Maris’ drive toward continuous improvement. Château Maris seeks to inspire other wineries and businesses to pursue sustainable farming practices and socially responsible business policies.
MW Jancis Robinson 🗣️: Ch Maris’s Brama bottling comes from a vineyard at 400 m (1,312 ft) above the little village of Félines-Minervois. It was planted exclusively, way back in 1938, apparently, with Grenache Gris. This thrillingly complex wine suggests strongly that the best Grenache Gris wines have more tension than Grenache Blanc. ‘So much more interesting than the average white burgundy', but then yields are extremely low: just 10 hl/ha.
The Brama countryside rises in altitude above Félines-Minervois, a vineyard that offers a spectacular view of theplains, the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea in the distance. It is in this natural setting that Brama takesroot, revealing a racy and pure 100% Grenache Gris
【Wine & Spirits】 Highest Rated White‼️
📝For this White, Robert Eden separates out the Grenache Gris that’s interplanted with the noirs in his 77 year old vineyard and fermented in barrel, it’s opulent and delicious, a silky, rich wine with toasty almond flavors and saline minerality.
【Wine Spectator】
📝Brama Grenache Gris all look to be outstanding, with varying degrees of citrus, mineral, honeycomb and hints of nuttiness to go with medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. These are just another example of how successful this variety can be in this part of the world, and they deserve attention.
