Big Interview : Samuel X Basile Guibert

A family, a history, a field

Focus on the Guibert family: a story of passion, heritage and transmission

At the heart of Mas de Daumas Gassac, each vintage and bottle tells the story of a family united by a common passion : its exceptional terroir. The Famille Guibert embodies the balance between respect for traditions, deep love of nature and vision for the future.

Samuel Guibert (SG) and Basile Guibert (BG) tell us more about the estate that their parents founded and the history of the family at the Mas de Daumas Gassac

How does the family maintain this balance between tradition, passion and modernity ?

BG : A tradition starts from the moment someone creates it. My parents arrived at the end of the 60's, there was no "Mas de Daumas Gassac tradition” , no multigenerational winegrowers in the Guibert family. As a second generation, I grew up in the tradition and values that my parents instilled and this is what guides my action ; ecology, reforestation, rewilding, rejection of clones... but also to be careful not to lock yourself in : tradition is alive and must know how to live in its time.

We know how to evolve. We are creating a new estate with my brothers which is modern on quite some points, like the cellar, where my winemaking experience helped me creating a more fluid cellar. On another point, for 10 years, our brother, Gael Guibert , has brought a real transformation of processes, the implementation of an ERP, multiple software inserted in the life of the company such as Expansya, Lyra... It's a gain in efficiency.

SG : There are two words : respect and openness. I have a habit of saying that a tradition isn't immutable. For example, Christmas, a holiday for 2000 years, but which was celebrated differently 1000 years ago and now. And yet it remains one of the most traditional holidays. It’s the same when you work in agriculture and high-end wine. At the Mas de Daumas Gassac we're prisoners of this search for excellence, where people expect to have wines of very high quality.

But at the same time, the White Daumas Gassac of today doesn't have the same codes as 20 years ago. Some points have evolved to respect the environment, and the bottle, caps and labels have changed : developments that aim to remain in the era of time.

For example, when the Primeur Offer was communicated to individuals in September, it was sent first by email and then supplemented with the paper offer, whereas traditionally the order of shipments was reversed. Does it change the supply? No. Does it change how we work? Yes. So we continue something that's immutable but we evolve it to match the habits of customers while facilitating the processing of orders internally.

There are some things that you can be more efficient by being more modern. To be able to have an eye on the past, an eye on the future, while remaining in the present.

What are the core values of the estate ?

BG : One of the main values is environmental protection; a beautiful and complex ecosystem will make it possible to make great wines expressing a unique place. In the late 60s, early 70s our parents buy an estate where the garrigue has an height of 1.5 meters not more. Indeed, the 1000 hectares of the Arboussas massif were regularly used to make coal. Today, 50 years after, this garrigue is between 3 and 5 meters high, the massif of Arboussas under our impulse was protected from the uprooting... We are very proud of it. This lung is vital to our great wines but also a ?home? for a whole local ecosystem and especially a water reserve for the surrounding villages.

SG : The pursuit of excellence in all areas. I could stop there because I think excellence is enough to define everything we want. But I would also add that the human being is at the center of everything. The work done by us and our team is. We ensure that the human being is put forward, respected, in the best conditions and valued. These two main axes are our values.

But excellence dominates. It's about seeking the best possible relationship with our customers, partners, team, but also having the best design, the best equipment to work with, etc.

How is the transmission to the new generations ?

BG : The wild environment of the Gassac valley and the magic of life that is present there attract... The new generation of the family and from outside of the family … adolescents, young adults…. These are real and concrete values that give a deep meaning to what we do. There is a desire to lead by example, and so our principles are passed on through our actions. The intention is not to force young generations to come here, but rather that they enjoy it when they come by and that it becomes a shared adventure.

For example, I think of Quentin Barthes , our Trade Director for France, who first became a friend after having a great time during the harvest at Mas de Daumas Gassac. Being here, enjoying the life in the wild Gassac valley created a spark in him… and after few years close to the family he joined the team. This was also the case of Philippe Michel, our cellar master, and other people.

Personally, during the harvest and vinification period, which is the busiest time of the year, I try to bring my children into the cellar. They see it as I did when I was a kid : a playground where you can make noise, sing in empty tanks, play with a water pipe, taste grape juice... An enthusiasm grows in them, it's a happy place; life and energy are everywhere and this is the heart of what we do.

SG : I think different generations can share the same values but they must also have their own brand and their own imprint. It seems to me that the excellence dear to my parents allowed them to try to aim for the best possible wine, as well as finding the best people to accompany them in the Mas de Daumas Gassac adventure. But I could not speak for them and I would not speak for my children, or my nieces and nephews. This generation may inherit what we have built and they will do with it what they want and can do.

My brothers, Roman GUIBERT Mas Daumas Gassac , Basile Guibert , Gael Guibert and I are part of a generation involved in the field for at least 20 to 40 years, so our mission is to find a course that gives a clear direction. We strive for excellence in all services, whether it is production, customer service or the relationship with our customers and partners.

Is there a possible transmission to future generations : children, nephews and nieces ?

BG : They have been involved in the estate since birth. Indirectly, for having seen them grow and pass on the estate, and directly for having seen them enjoy during the harvest. Being able to offer them childhood on the estate as our parents have offered to us, it is already a success. It won’t be exactly the same but we’re quite close?!

The transmission goes beyond one’s own family; children from our team come to the estate, as well as many other teenagers and young adults. This transmission makes me happy. It is the values, traditions and at the same time a new look that we manage to connect, integrate and share in the heart of this wild valley. We are open to new things, which is the testimony of a welcoming estate.

SG : Out of the 9 children who make up the third generation, there are three who have already done some tasks with us: harvesting, visits, accounting... It is an opportunity and a wealth for them, but it is not an obligation. It is hoped that out of the 9 there will be at least one or two who will be interested in taking over the torch. But today they are young, the last one who is three years old, the oldest one who is 20, and at 20, we are in the middle of a period where we ask questions about his studies and professional career.

But it’s very personal, everyone thinks differently. On my side, I think we are making good use of what our parents left us. And if we do our work well, the day we pass the hand, if there is someone to take it over, there will be a great opportunity to make it grow again.

How do you see the Mas de Daumas Gassac in 10 or 20 years ?

BG : Wilder !

SG : My answer will be as good as anyone else’s here. You can imagine it on many levels. I hope to imagine it within the Guibert family, in this environment that is very beautiful and that we have always managed to respect, while continuing to fascinate people since it is thanks to them that we thrive.

Building the reputation of any estate is a stone after another. If we continue to increase quality and awareness every year, after 10 years we will have evolved again. So I hope we will have succeeded in continuing what we did for Daumas Gassac, and successfully launched the new estate, the Atelier Guibert, since I think that is the big challenge of the next years. And who knows, in 15 years, prepare for the arrival of a third generation.

Do you have an harvest or a vintage that has a special meaning for you ?

BG : 2024 is a huge vintage with great 80s style – built for ageing and excellence.

SG : There will always be the date when you meet someone, the date of birth of children... But in terms of quality and work, these last 25 vintages were all exciting. Even if the latter always seems harder or unique to us, which was particularly the case this year.

It is true that there are years that are sadder, like the one of our father’s death, since we think this is the first year he did not contribute.

But what stands out is more the mastery that one can have of things as time goes on. Today we are much more efficient than 15 years ago when we wasted time on things that seemed important to us at the time.

Photos by : Vincent Bartoli