Wines like they used to be… From here and there… No need to wait any longer…
Intrigued? We were too. These are the names of the wines from Domaine Modat and these quirky phrases on their labels certainly pricked our interest.

Domaine Modat Le Petit Mod'Amour 2011 Domaine Modat Comme Avant 2010 Domaine Modat Sans Plus Attendre 2010 Domaine Modat De Ci De La Blanc 2011

Domaine Modat is a small domaine in the Roussillon region of southern France. This is an exciting producer; they grow grape varieties traditional to the area, grapes that are perfectly suited to their local environment and they use canny environmentally friendly viticultural techniques tailored to their specific site. They have a cleverly designed, sustainably built winery complete with solar panels which is partially underground to keep cool. These people know how to make good wine and they know how their wines fit into the global picture.

The vineyards are to be found high up on a plateau in the Agly Valley – not a million miles from Perpignan. The Pyrenees are to the south, the Med is to the east. Looking at these pictures makes it easy to understand the lure of a vigneron’s life after a long business career in Paris. Henri Modat and his wife returned to their family vineyards and established this Domaine in 2007. They have five children and cognisant of their legacy, Henri wanted to farm the land organically, so ecologically minded viticulturist Laurent Abet was duly hired. Henri’s son Philippe – imbued with both a passion for wine and a touch of wanderlust – has been using his free time very productively; he did his first vintage in Roussillon in his early 20s and since then has been avidly pursuing his passion for wine, travelling the world, organising wine tours, meeting with winemakers and learning from them. His parents returning to Roussillon to farm the family vineyards is something of a dream come true for Philippe. We may be a touch jealous. Together, these three men are the brains and the brawn behind Domaine Modat.