Cathi insists that “when it’s gone, it’s gone”.
Cathi Dillon, who lives in Lichfield, has an incredibly varied CV. She taught drama for many years in West Bromwich, before becoming a rep in Birmingham and eventually setting up her own outdoor advertising business.
But she admits that, before taking on a major winemaking project in the early 2010s, “I knew nothing about wine” – beyond what can be gained from drinking it, of course.
Her family are “real Francophiles”, and have been camping over the years all across France. So it is perhaps no surprise that the opportunity to buy five hectares of vines in the Languedoc – now the Occitanie, a coastal region in the south of the country – and work with a “really really brilliant” maker was “too exciting” to turn down.
Cathi told the Echo that the winemaker had a great “ethos” and was “passionate, as we were, about creating an organic red wine”. This started with the pulling up of the equivalent of 18 miles of black plastic, and the ending of harmful spraying, some time after which the first (2013) vintage was released.
This was sold all over France, including in a Michelin-star restaurant in Paris, no less. And, of course, some bottles found their way home for friends and family!
The vines have since been sold to a local vigneron, and the last (2016) red vintage – ‘Terraces du Larzac’ – is bottled and ready to hit local bars and restaurants. It is already being sold locally, including in Lichfield, as well as down south.
She describes the wine as “absolutely perfect. It’s beautiful for drinking now” – with cheese, fish, meat, or just on its own.
We were especially passionate about organic wine for obvious health reasons, as there are no chemicals sprayed on the fruit, or preservatives or chemicals added to the wine at any stage.
The yeast is naturally occurring on the skins.
Speaking about the Languedoc region itself, Cathi adds:
It’s an area that hasn’t been broadcast as much as Burgundy or the Rhône Valley, where everybody’s raving about the wines. But the vines are absolutely beautiful, and perfect for wine growing.
Cathi is delighted that what started out “really as a bit of a hobby” has ended up “far, far better than we thought” – and has resulted in a “phenomenal, smooth, well-balanced wine”.
As for what she has planned next, Cathi laughs, saying: “I’ll cross that bridge when it comes to it.”
To get your hands on the wine, contact Cathi at 07984 966469/cathi@closventaswines.co.uk, or visit: www.closventaswines.co.uk.