Tom Lubbe Part 3 - Final

3rd and final part of my chat with Tom Lubbe of Matassa on the morning of his presentation at the Swartland Heritage Festival in Paternoster on 02.Nov.2018.. I wanted principally to talk to him about his time in wine in South Africa and in particular setting up The Observatory. We touched many subjects and we chatted for longer than planned, so I have split it up. Tom is a mentor of some of the most exciting (young and old) producers in South Africa, worked under Charles Back along side Eben Sadie before setting up The Observatory in the Paardeberg in early 2000s. He then fell in love and moved to France and started Matassa I was very hungover for this chat having enjoyed a dinner at Wolfgat in Paternoster the night before, so apologies if I sound a bit slow. Tom and I covered many topics in the chat – some of them (and the mm:ss) are below: 0.00 Support by other winemakers in making natural in South Africa in early 2000s 1.01 What are the biggest markets for Matassa? 1.35 South African wine more welcomed in London than Roussillon wine 2.24 Didn’t realise I had to sell the stuff as well as make it. Importance of repeat customers. 3.36 The shift of consciousness started in 2007-2008 3.57 Noma/Nordic cuisine and natural wine 4.20 The Japanese market 5.44 Kenjiro Kagami, Domaine des Miroirs (Jura) 7.48 Rise of concern about production of food in Japan and China 8.48 More on Japan 9.32 If I never moved to France… 9.51 You can’t farm via proxy 10.19 Comparing The Observatory and Matassa 10.40 What is the best compost? 11.02 Bosgaasfontein (farm where The Observatory was based) 11.20 Jurgen Gouws at Bosgaasfontein 11.36 Tom chats about South African winemakers 12.07 Craig Hawkins, TESTALONGA (Swartland) 12.45 Eben warned me… 13.17 The effects of working with others 13.27 Orange wine – first one made in 2008 12.13 White vs Orange wine 14.24 Filtering and sulphuring orange wine 14.53 Jancis and Cuvee Marguerite 15.41 Comparison to Radikon (Fruili), not competition 17.21 Are you bound to the traditional wine styles of your area? 17.42 Benefits of a skin contact fermentation for muscat d’alexandrie (Hanepoot) 18.18 Pricing philosophy 18.37 La Revue du Vin de France orange wine tasting 19.51 Matassa and Noma – serve it by the glass 21.11 I don’t want to fuck a boudin 21.39 Serious business and natural wine. Thank you very much to Tom Lubbe.

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