Producer Spotlight: Chateau Maris

Ever stop to think about the journey of your favorite glass of wine? Beyond the label and the taste, there’s a whole world of environmental oversight at play. As climate change and environmental concerns become more pressing, wine producers are increasingly aware of their impact on the planet. 

So, in honor of our big blue marble, we’re shining a light on Chateau Maris, a winery dedicated to looking after Mother Earth and practicing biodynamic and organic viticulture.

Located on the foothills of the Black Mountains near Carcassonne, where the Mediterranean Sea, France, Spain, and the Pyrenees mountain range come together, the Chateau’s limestone terraces facing the Aude river valley are perfectly suited for growing world-class Syrah and Grenache. Preciously crafted by winemaker Robert Eden, Maris offers great value wines made with organic grapes. Robert Eden is a recognized authority on Organic and Biodynamic viticulture, giving lectures on the need to reduce the negative impact on the environment from non-sustainable farming.

Chateau Maris is the first European vineyard to obtain B Corporation® certification, a label recognized by the UN and the European Commission. B Corporation certification promotes companies that transform their business into a virtuous force for good: good for workers, good for communities, and good for the environment.

Check out these stunning wines from Chateau Maris:

Minervois La Livinere Natural Selection 2021

A 70/30 blend of Syrah and Grenache, the grapes are aged separately for 12 months and then blended together and aged for an additional 4 months. An inky purple in the glass, this red wine is full of expressive aromas of dark fruit, smoke, and hints of meat. It’s full-bodied with soft juicy tannins and velvety notes of black currant, blackberry, and black cherry, with slight toasted brioche on the finish. The wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered in light recycled glass and labeled using recycled paper. A versatile wine, it pairs with anything from poultry and hearty salads to BBQ fare and burgers. 

Rare Orange NV

The oldest known and antique form of winemaking, Chateau Maris delivers this orange wine made from 100% Muscat Petits Grains. It’s fermented on the skins for five days and then aged in concrete egg vats, resulting in a deep amber colored wine with enhanced flavors and subtle tannins. Sunshine in a bottle, the wine is full of bright and fresh notes of summer fruits like white peach and apricot, with slight saline and a hint of citrus on the finish. Enjoy alongside caprese salads, poultry, tapenade, and summer fare.