Featured Person: Sandra Doix...
While a very small enterprise compared with most modern wineries, Mas Doix has garnered consistent praise from both wine lovers and critics from around the globe. Wine Spectator awarded the 2004 and 2006 Mas Doix 93 points, and gave the 2005 vintage 95 points. Robert Parker gave the Mas Doix 2004 and 2005 vintages 98 points, and the 2006 97 points. His website regularly awards scores of 90 points and above to the Salanques.
To find Mas Doix wines locally, check with Khoury’s Fine Wine & Spirits or Marche’ Bacchus. If not in stock, either Issa at Khoury’s or Jeff at Marche’ will order the wines for you. Thank you Sandra and Mas Doix for your fine efforts...!!!
Sandra Doix, winemaker at Mas Doix, samples wine in the estate’s stylish tasting room...
In this edition Vegas Wine News introduces Sandra Doix as its featured person. Sandra has recently assumed the paramount position of head winemaker at the renowned Mas Doix winery located in Priorat, Spain. Located in the little village of Poboleda, Mas Doix has been a single family owned winery for generations. Sandra’s great-grandfather planted the family’s most venerable vineyard, Salanques, more than eighty years ago.
Somewhat of a prodigy for a winemaker at the ripe old age of 25, Sandra readily admits that she would not have attained her present position without the constant support and encouragement she has received from her family. She studied enology at the University in Tarragona, a nearby seaside town. Even more importantly, she studied winemaking for years under the tutelage of her family, especially her father and mother. Her mother continues to work in the vineyards each day, and has perfected and passed down to Sandra the art of cloning various grape vines.
The family goes to extraordinary lengths to produce the finest wines possible. Only seven people work the vineyards during the course of the year. This includes all the work involved with farming (pruning, cloning, etc.), harvesting and producing the wine. The estates best wine, labeled simply “Mas Doix” usually has a blend of about 50% Carinena, 48% of Garnacha, and 2% of Merlot. Another wine produced by the estate is the Salanques, which usually consists of about 65% Garnacha, 20% Carinena and the rest a mix of Syrah, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Low yield farming results in small production, with only about 5,000 bottles of the Mas Doix and 12,000 bottles of the Salanques produced annually, depending on the year.
While Sandra assumes the role of head winemaker, she continues to rely on her family for advice throughout the winemaking process. Especially when it comes to blending. The final blend of the wines always involves the agreed upon opinion of the entire family. The process seems inefficient, but apparently it works. Sandra creates various blends for consideration to the entire group. They taste the blends blindly and decide what one is their favorite. She keeps changing the blends until they all agree on the one favorite. When asked what would happen if they could not all agree on the same blend, Sandra just laughed and replied that it’s never happened.
Sandra inspects the vines in the Salanques vineyard...
In the Mas Doix wine cellar...