Behind the vine
Maud Negrel - Mas de Cadenet - Provence, France
When do you think you fell in love with wine, enough to make a career of it?
I was born in the vineyard, to the rhythm of the seasons which leads to the making of wine. But my professional career has not always been about wine since I spent a few years in Paris and Milan, working in finance; before my native Earth reminds me of its indispensable presence in my life balance, and making wine, was my deep wish.
What story does your wine tell?
Mas de Cadenet is in a marvellous place in Provence nestled in an exceptional setting on the foothills of the Sainte-Victoire mountain, so known because painter Paul Cezanne has made it its muse. This place is so luminous, at the same time a mineral and cosy provencal nature.
Mas de Cadenet is made up of 110 acres of vines in one piece in Côtes de Provence appellation and Cru Sainte-Victoire, where we produce organic gourmet wines. In addition, 20 hectares of cereals and woods help preserve the site’s biodiversity. We firmly believe that organic farming is the most appropriate way to express the minerality and nuances of this exceptional terroir of Provence.
I want my wines to reflect this nature being well-balanced, mineral and vibrant.
“The notion of family domain takes on its full meaning: ‘We do not inherit the land from our parents, we borrow it from our children.”
— Maud Negrel
What misconceptions about wine do you think people should forget?
You don't need to be educated in wine to appreciate it. Believe in your taste and enjoy.
What great things about wine do you think people should remember?
Pleasure! Pleasure of the senses, pleasure to share a moment with friends or family. Wine is related to enjoyment.
What is a piece of advice you would give to a woman interested in breaking into the wine world?
Go for it! it is a fantastic product. But keep in mind that, as a woman, you take a job that you were not naturally offered.
Where can women find your wine?
In good restaurants and independent retailers in France and abroad.
In UK: London Wine Shippers, Alexander Wines, Oxford Wine Company, Field & Fawcett, Penistone Court Wine Cellars, George Hill Ltd, From Vineyards Direct
But visiting us in Provence is the best way to understand our wines.