Domaine Valma

Situated in the high-altitude enclave of Les Labourons within Fleurie, Domaine Valma represents the vanguard of a thoughtful, site-driven movement in Beaujolais. Founded by Valentine and Stéphane Mathieu, the estate intentionally focuses on cooler, north- and west-facing exposures — a strategic choice designed to preserve natural acidity and restraint in an increasingly warm climate. In official organic conversion since 2022 and guided by historic mentors of the region's low-intervention movement, Domaine Valma produces exceptionally pure, structured Gamay that prioritises freshness and geological transparency. This approach has garnered rapid attention from major publications like Vinous and The Wine Advocate, establishing the estate as a critical new name to watch within Fleurie. Concurrently, specialist importers have championed the estate’s immediate energy, noting that the cuvées manage to be both "serious yet smashable".

History and Background

Domaine Valma was established by Valentine and Stéphane Mathieu, who originally met in Bordeaux while studying the commercial and marketing sectors of the wine industry. After corporate careers in Paris and sales roles alongside prominent Bordeaux estates, the couple sought a return to hands-on viticulture, choosing Beaujolais due to Stéphane's familial roots in the region and their shared belief in the untapped potential of its specific granitic terroirs.

In preparation, Valentine completed her professional agricultural studies in viticulture and worked under prestigious producers, including Champagne house Chartogne-Taillet. Returning to Beaujolais, they launched their inaugural 2021 vintage completely from scratch, remaining fiercely independent without outside corporate investment. The name "Valma" represents a dual meaning: it bridges a shorthand for Valentine’s name while drawing from the Latin alma (nourishing) and Spanish soul.

“Reminding many of the wines of Coche-Dury.”

by Charles Curtis MW, Decanter on the 00 Wines Chardonnays

Vineyard and Terroir

The estate spans 5.5 hectares concentrated entirely within the Fleurie appellation. The core of the domaine lies in Les Labourons, a woodsy, highly biodiverse sector characterised by shallow, sandy decomposed pink granite over dense bedrock.

Rather than chasing traditional south-facing slopes, the Mathieus sought out parcels with northern and western exposures. This positioning buffers the fruit from mid-day heat, lengthening the growing season and securing the vibrant acidity essential for ageworthy Gamay. The vine age varies from recent plantings to old-vine selections dating back to 1951. Farming is strictly organic (undergoing official certification since 2022), relying on indigenous cover crops, wild grasses, and plant bio-indicators to restore microbiological life to the soils.

Winemaking Philosophy

The cellar operations are managed directly by Valentine, whose methodology is deeply informed by natural wine pioneers — most notably Jacques Néauport, a long-time collaborator of the late Jules Chauvet.

The fruit undergoes strict temperature sorting before being placed into unlined concrete vats for a native, ambient-yeast fermentation. Winemaking follows a classic, low-intervention semi-carbonic template:

• Fermentation: 100% whole-cluster inclusions, entirely free from temperature-control manipulation or artificial inoculations.
• Extraction: Exceptionally gentle, limited to brief pump-overs (remontage) during the initial 48 hours to homogenise yeast populations, followed by an undisturbed 10-day maceration.
• Maturation: The wines are aged for approximately 8 months, divided between neutral concrete tanks and old, seasoned 500L Burgundy oak casks.
• Finishing: Bottled without fining or filtration. Total sulfur additions are kept low, restricted to 25–30 ppm administered strictly after malolactic fermentation or at bottling to ensure stability.

Signature Cuvées & Portfolio

While initially debuted via micro-bottlings, Domaine Valma’s portfolio highlights the nuanced expressions of Fleurie’s distinct terroirs:

• Fleurie "Prélude": Sourced from the younger parcels of Les Labourons (planted in 2008 and 2016) on north-facing slopes. Fermented and aged entirely in concrete, it delivers high-toned red fruit, high transparency, and a fine, chiselled granitic backbone.
• Fleurie "Prélude Face B": A separate interpretation of the terroir, utilising extended wood maturation to explore a more structural, broader profile.
• Fleurie "Les Labourons": The estate’s flag-bearer, drawn from the historic 1951 old-vine parcel on west-facing granite sands. Deeply savoury, complex, and built for cellar aging.
• Fleurie "La Chapelle des Bois" & "La Madone": Recent single-vineyard acquisitions exploring some of the most celebrated crus in the region. La Madone, with its steep slopes, brings an intense, solar energy and immediate aromatic complexity, contrasting beautifully with the cool reserve of Les Labourons.

Recognition and Impact

Despite its relative infancy, Domaine Valma has quickly caught the eye of elite international distributors, joining the Becky Wasserman & Co. portfolio in the US, Parched in the UK, and arriving in Hong Kong through our own cellars as one of the region's most compelling new acts. The estate has caught the attention of leading mainstream critics; it was spotlighted by Neal Martin in Vinous inside his dedicated Beaujolais reports, signalling its arrival among the essential new domains to follow. Concurrently, The Wine Advocate has initiated formal coverage on their single-vineyard releases, verifying the wines' technical depth and structural consistency.

By intentionally re-evaluating terroir outside of traditional, south-facing sites and combining historical low-intervention philosophies with modern climate awareness, the Mathieus are helping redefine contemporary Beaujolais as a source of serious, mineral-focused fine wine. Their rise demonstrates that their bottles are not merely joyful, immediate expressions, but rather, as trade partners observe in their technical release notes, cuvées "imbued with enviable class," cementing Valma's position at the forefront of the new generation of artisanal vignerons.

For anyone tracking the shift towards a more precise, mineral-driven style of Beaujolais, Domaine Valma is an essential estate to watch. By pairing old-school, low-intervention winemaking with a forward-thinking approach to climate and vineyard location, Valentine and Stéphane Mathieu are making incredibly compelling wines. As their organic conversion completes and new parcels come online, they are firmly establishing themselves as one of the most compelling new-generation growers in Fleurie.

2017 Clos des Papes • Chateauneuf du Pape

He blends grapes from his different plots to co-ferment in large vats, after which he then re-blends in to large 20-55 hectoliter wooden foudres (casks) to mature for 15 months. New or small barrels are never used, “I like the oak to make an indirect impact – I only want tannins from the grape skins not even the pips and certainly not the stalks” says Avril. And though it may not be widely known, this domaine has been buying corks from the same producer in Portugal ever since 1926!

The wines are no doubt enticing, garnering great praise from many publications and critics such as Wine Spectator who awarded their 2005 vintage as “Wine of the Year”, stating that “in the Southern Rhône's recent trio of great vintages starting with 2003, no other Châteauneuf-du-Pape domaine has produced better wines than Clos des Papes”. But the accolades don’t stop there, as Robert Parker followed on to pronounce the 2007 vintage “the greatest Chateauneuf du Pape made since 1978 and 1990”.

We at Ginsberg+Chan are extremely proud to be the exclusive distributors of Clos des Papes, and with good volumes of both red and white back vintages too, we can ensure you a wide range of drinking windows for your cellar.

Available Wines From Domaine Valma