Domaine Canet Valette - Saint-Chinian Antonyme 2024

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Marc Valette crafted wines in his own image—full-bodied wines that all expressed a clear sense of power. He practices organic farming and limits himself to very low yields. He has evolved the entire lineup toward wines that can be enjoyed much sooner. At the top of the range, the Maghani wine takes its name from the “wine of the Magi” in the quatrains of the great Persian poet Omar Khayyam. We have a particular fondness for the entry-level wines, notably “Ivresses” and “Une et mille nuits.” The next generation is already in place, with Marc’s son, Camille, set to take over starting with the 2024 harvest.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Antonyme focuses on instant pleasure: a juice bursting with fruit, smooth and refreshing. A straightforward and crisp entry-level offering.

About the estate:

In Saint-Chinian, Marc Valette is one of those pioneers, producing quality wines since the early 1990s. “It was Jean-François Izarn (Domaine Borie La Vitarèle) who sparked it all. After meeting him, I went from being a simple farmer to a wine enthusiast,” says this humble, big-hearted winemaker. His limestone vineyard, with alkaline soil, comprises 21 hectares of organic vineyards laid out around the winery. In the mid-2000s, when Marc decided to produce more elegant wines and found his signature style, the wines became balanced between finesse and complexity, thanks to grapes harvested while still slightly green and gentler extraction methods. The profile of these wines—enjoyable when young and capable of remarkable development with aging—is appealing in more ways than one. The quality of the vintages tasted this year and the pleasure they provide confirm the well-deserved nature of the second star.

Le Figaro vins