Magnum Mas Jullien white 2024 | Mas Jullien
The Mas Jullien White 2024 is the creation ofOlivier Jullien, a winemaker based in Jonquières, at the foot of the Terrasses du Larzac in Languedoc. His wine estate, Mas Jullien, has long been an undisputed benchmark in the region, yet Olivier Jullien has never sought fame or followed trends. Passionate and visionary, he has patiently observed his terroirs, adjusting his winemaking to reveal their very essence, vintage after vintage. This white wine is the result of this meticulous work: each plot is vinified separately, with the blend fine-tuned each year. The magnum size is significant as well: here, it slows the wine’s evolution and offers it a more generous aging potential.
Terroirs and Grape Varieties
The vineyards of Mas Jullien rest on a mosaic of soils: clay and limestone gravel, marl, sandstone, silica, and alluvial soils. This geological diversity requires the winemakers to adopt a meticulous, plot-by-plot approach. It is precisely this understanding that led Olivier Jullien to reposition Carignan Blanc at the heart of the blend, accounting for 55%. Long neglected, this grape variety expresses itself here with a depth and integrity that the wine estate’s alluvial soils seem to naturally dictate. Chenin (30%) brings liveliness and vibrancy. Grenache Blanc (10%) adds fullness. The remaining 5%, made from various local grape varieties, is the estate’s secret!
Viticulture and Winemaking
The vineyards are cultivated using organic farming methods, with practices closely aligned with biodynamics, respecting living organisms and the soil. The grapes are harvested by hand—an essential step for preserving the integrity of the grapes on such fragmented terroirs. Fermentation is carried out using indigenous yeasts, without any corrective additives. No fining, no filtration. Ageing lasts 12 months on fine lees in demi-muids—the ideal vessel for enhancing the texture without overpowering the fruit. Nothing is standardized: the process is always adapted to the vintage.
Mas Jullien White 2024 Magnum | Mas Jullien: The Sommelier’s Review
Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin
This white wine far exceeds what one would expect from a Pays d’Hérault IGP. It possesses a rare restraint, a quiet density, and a balance that never feels forced. It is not a wine that makes an immediate impression. It is a wine of precision and poise. When young, it’s a real pleasure to drink. But it’s as it ages that it truly impresses: it gains in breadth and depth without ever losing its mineral tension. For me, it’s quite simply the best white wine from the Languedoc in terms of drinking pleasure. It is expected to reach its peak drinking period between 2029 and 2035: the magnum bottle further slows its evolution, making it a purchase where patience pays off. Serve at around 10 °C, after a brief decant.
The Nose
The nose opens with very airy notes of white flowers, displaying great delicacy. A fresh, herbaceous quality follows, evoking basil and chervil. Upon aeration, a hint of sweet almond and fresh citrus gradually emerges. This secondary nose lends the wine a restrained, southern character that is never overpowering. A truly refined elegance.
Palate
On the palate, the ripeness of the grapes is evident right from the attack, which is generous and juicy. A lively acidity runs through the wine, making it particularly easy to drink. You’ll discover notes of honey, lychee, hazelnut, and marzipan, which flow seamlessly into one another. A lovely mineral tension structures the full-bodied texture all the way to the finish. The finish lingers gently, with a hint of salty minerality that carries the wine well beyond the last sip.
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