Chateau Cres Ricards

The Château des Crès Ricards Estate was established in 1960 in the village of Ceyras (32 km from the coast). Fifty years later, Jean-Claude Mas acquired these 28 hectares. Jean-Claude was so fascinated by the terroir of the Terrasses du Larzac that he expanded the estate to 42 hectares in 2013. This sub-appellation of the Languedoc is known for its intensely flavorful and silky wines. Chateau des Crès Ricards is situated at the foot of the Mont Saint-Baudille in the Southern foothills of the Massif Central. The estate utilizes a unique geology of well-drained, iron rich, clay-limestone soils, with inclusions of pebbles and shale. Rich in micro-nutrients, the soils provide the vines with the best possible conditions for a slow ripening period, producing wines with exceptionally balanced structure and aroma. Here, the Cordon de Royat pruned vines are planted to a density of 5200 vines per hectare and yield 40 hl/ha. The grapes are exclusively hand harvested and undergo partial carbonic maceration. The vines are grown using sustainable viticulture practices, with portions of the vineyards being certified Terra Vitis.

Our Relationship

Jean-Claude Mas is one of the most dynamic winemakers I've met over the past 15 years. He has reached well beyond what one could expect to accomplish in such as short amount of time, and I believe this is largely due to his ambition and innovative spirit. "JC" as he is called by friends and family, really wants to push the envelope of quality and estate-driven wine production for the Languedoc region in Southern France. We got to know each other in 2018 when my family and I were in Europe. JC said he was open for a meeting and we snuck over on a cheap flight from Venice. At one point we were at dinner with my two boys and three of his four girls (all under 10 years old) and we looked at the clock... it was 2am and the kids were still up! We had so much to talk about. JC is such a creative thinker and one of the leaders for the region.

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