The Estate
Still a cellar master in Saint-Émilion, Julien Ditté envisioned a project with his friend Olivier Cazenave (Château de Bel) to reclaim old parcels of Grenache Noir. They decided to classify their wines as "Vin de France" to maintain greater freedom in crafting their cuvées.
The project began with the first vintage in 2011, driven by the desire to showcase the aging potential of wines from the Aspres terroir while vinifying without artifice. Over the years, this terroir has proven its ability to produce long-aging wines.
They named their project "Amistat", the Catalan word for friendship.
The wines are crafted as naturally as possible on a magnificent terroir at the foothills of Mont Canigou—rolling low-altitude hills interspersed with woodlands, scrub, and heathland. The initial idea was to work with Grenache, an indigenous grape variety, using massal selection. The project later expanded to include a parcel of Macabeu in 2012 and a centenary Carignan vine in 2020.
The Wine
Whole-cluster co-fermentation of the four grape varieties—Macabeu, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Grenache Noir—to produce a light-colored red wine.
After 12 months of bottle aging, without any contact with wood, this blend develops notes reminiscent of classic Burgundian Pinotage.
Tasting
The name Tatsima Noir is a play of word meaning "black from white." A true unidentified liquid object, this wine is neither white, nor red, nor rosé.
Despite its light appearance, Tatsima Noir showcases aromas of wild cherry with well-structured tannins.
