Mathieu Pastouret took over his parents' organic wine business.
The alarm clock indicates 5:30 am. It's time for Mathieu Pastouret to get dressed, get ready and go to his farm. The winegrower and asparagus producer in Bellegarde had, however, begun studying business. For three years now, he has decided to take over the family business. "At the beginning of my studies, I thought that taking over my parents' business was a punishment. I wanted my five weeks of paid vacation, my weekends..." he recalls.
But today, he is happy to have taken over the family production and to be able to work with his parents and his sister. Working for myself, being independent, gaining in quality of life, finally I like it. I didn't want to go to Paris, far from my family, I want the countryside!
My job, it has meaning. A job that he would not want to change. For me, my job, it has meaning. I produce wine as a family. We make it from A to Z together in the Gard and we get a bottle. The bottle of wine is my baby, it has my name on it," says Mathieu Pastouret with pride. With him, no two days are alike. My days are alive. There are always unforeseen events. This morning, a part of my engine broke down. So, we organize ourselves and we adapt a lot, he assures.
An admiration for wine, his passion is wine. When you plant a vineyard, it is for several years. With my parents, I only know that and I like it! And he does not stop there. With his sister, they decided to start producing asparagus. We had a low point in March, so we optimize our time and staff. At this time, it's asparagus in the morning and vines in the afternoon, explains the winemaker.
However, he too was impacted by the covid-19 pandemic at the same time. With the closing of restaurants, a slowdown in consumption was felt, especially with rosé. But he did not have the same problem with his asparagus. We were lucky not to be stopped. The weather was good and there was a lot of demand for asparagus, he recalls.
There is a demand, and not only in France. Mathieu Pastouret also sells his products abroad, such as in China, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland. Now, we have 45 hectares, so we will be able to increase our sales, he explains.
He considers himself privileged to work in the Gard. We are happy to work here and to produce our wine in its entirety," concludes the winegrower and asparagus producer.
-It is a pride to make organic wine
Precursor of wine from organic production in his department. "My father was the first to produce organic wine in the Gard. He was considered marginal, some people even called him 'Bioman'", remembers Mathieu Pastouret. A pioneer in the way of working the soil and producing wine in the cellar, Mathieu Pastouret learned everything from his family. Today, organic is a logical continuation and the land is very important to the producer. "The land, we live on it and thanks to it. It is essential to produce good wine," explains the winemaker. Yet, according to him, the organic trend is outdated. "Today what the consumer wants to see is where his product is made and how it is produced," says the winemaker. With his direct sale, from his farm, customers come while crossing his vineyards. They discover an organic wine production, local, in short circuit and even vegan.
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See you in the cellar
The ratings of the Wine Guidess
• l'Avis du guide Achette
-Domaine Pastouret. This magnificent cuvée Rosé has a bright ruby color. It offers an intense, fruity and spicy nose. On the palate, it is ample, dense and fleshy, centered on grilled and smoked flavors, and unfolds a long greedy finish evoking caramel. For lovers of generous wines. -Like us, the Concours Général Agricole celebrates the taste and artisanal know-how of our terroirs. Every year, during the Salon de l'Agriculture, they award medals to producers and artisans. The medal of the Concours Général Agricole is also intended to highlight local products that are little known to the general public.
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• Le Petit Futé
-Domaine Pastouret received the certification of "RECOMMENDATION MILLENNIUM 2023" in the guide of the Petit Futé ...