Le Mazet and the Saladin Sisters
Saturday night we were invited to a party at a "restaurant" called "Le Mazet" by the Saladin sisters of Domaine Saladin in Saint Marcel d'Ardèche. It was in celebration of the first anniversary of the re-opening of the family restaurant called "Le Mazet" (or little house in provençal) . A Mazet is typically a small stone building that was built in the vineyards for the vigneron to take shelter in during the cold winter months while out pruning or otherwise working in the vineyards. It's not really a house, but a place to warm up or even cool off in the summer. Nowadays it's often it's just a small one-room cottage or a small house that is used only in the summer with no heat, but if you're lucky there's running water.
We were invited by Marie-Laurence and Elisabeth Saladin, or as I like to call them the "Saladin Sisters," who are well-known here in the southern Rhône. These two women stand out for their hospitality and - for lack of a better word - "sunny" personalities. There really is no better way to describe them, they are the most genuine and generous people I have met in a long time, and their wines reflect their personalities flawlessly. Natural and honest, never over extracted or over-done, they are wines that you want to drink, and not simply taste. For me, in a wine tasting, this is one of the most important criteria. There are many, many wines out there that show well in a tasting, polished, lightly oaked, soft rounded tannins, but somehow not real, if you will. Wines that are as real and honest as those of Domaine Saladin are rare to find, and a pleasure to drink.
The restaurant, which is more like a grill, with a short, simple menu, is a breath of fresh air. No frills here, just fresh, high-quality ingredients that make your mouth water. Piping hot grilled sardines were served as an appetizer, then they brought out a nettle soup that was thick and concentrated, we could just feel the cleansing properties of the nettles as we ingested this wild concoction. Finally there came wooden plates full of perfectly grilled local beef that just melted in your mouth, all washed down by Saladin Côtes du Rhône.
We were lucky enough to arrive early before the crowds of villagers, family and friends filled the restaurant. It was even more crowded due to the fact that it was windy and raining outside which is rare for our region, bad timing, but lots of fun with a fire in the fireplace and a band singing in the back room. We talked and talked wine with Marie-Laurence and Elisabeth, tasted their 2007s and then our 2007s. Finally they were pulled away by the call of their guests that were thirsty for more of their delicious wine, so we made our way home down the windy roads of the Ardèche and the Gard happily recalling the wonderful evening we spent with our new friends.
Definitely seek out these wonderful wines! They are imported into the US by Becky Wasserman Selection
If you're visiting the area:
Restaurant Le Mazet
Saint Marcel
d'Ardèche Tel : 04.75.90.50.46
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