THE WINE
A gentle maceration of Grenache from a super dry vintage - the 2024 vintage saw rainfall equivalent to Marrakech - the cumulative consequences being a huge drop in yields, some of the older vines dying entirely, and the blocking of soil life. 

Deeply invested in an uncompromising care for their land, Melissa & Laurent have worked tirelessly in the vineyard in these difficult years: pruning carefully, following a strict de-budding regime to manage yields and the vine's energy reserves, working with manure and fermented plant teas to prioritise their soil health. The efforts have proved more than worthwhile, harvesting beautiful fruit in 2024, with healthy fermentations and no need for the use of sulphur in the cellar.  
 
 
THE PEOPLE
Laurent Roger and Melissa Ingrand named their project after the railway line that runs behind their vines—Mataburro, “donkey killer,” a darkly comic nod to the two donkeys struck by trains on the line’s opening day in 1910. Laurent comes from a winemaking family; his father once farmed 40 hectares before selling all but three, which Laurent and Melissa reclaimed in 2017 after Laurent’s natural-wine awakening at La Verre Volé and studies with Alain Castex. Their three contiguous hectares in Rivesaltes include old-vine Grenache planted by Laurent’s grandfather in 1949 and Merlot planted by his father three decades ago. The vineyards are farmed organically without ploughing, using green manures to maximise soil life, and treated only with sulphur, copper, and essential oils. Native yeasts, no fining, and no filtration define the cellar. With clay-limestone soils, galets roulés around the old Grenache, deep clays for the Merlot, and a Mediterranean climate shaped by maritime breezes, their wines show delicacy, lift, and a freshness that clearly reflects the influence of Laurent’s mentor.
 
THE PLACE
Rivesaltes, long known for its historic vins doux naturels and richly structured Mediterranean reds, has taken on a new identity in the natural wine world. A growing wave of small producers—often working organically or biodynamically—has revived old vineyards of Grenache, Carignan, and Macabeu, using low-intervention methods to highlight finesse rather than sheer power. As climate change pushes the region toward greater heat and ripeness, these winemakers are intentionally shifting away from the heavy, high-alcohol styles once associated with Roussillon. Earlier harvesting, lighter extractions, and a focus on soil health now produce wines that are fresher, brighter, and more aromatic, often with a saline, wind-swept edge from the Tramontane. Today, Rivesaltes is increasingly recognised as a hotspot for vibrant, terroir-driven natural wines that balance Mediterranean sun with surprising delicacy and lift.