La Mariota
La Mariota is a relative newcomer perched in the village of Vingrau, one of the best terroirs in the Roussillon. Cecilia Diaz and Guillermo Campos hail from Argentina. They met while working in Spain in the early 2000s. Soon the pair decided to move to London to perfect their English working in hospitality. After 18 months the couple finally settled in France.
Their wine calling happened while working in top restaurants in Paris. Their taste shifted when they met a trio of sommeliers who trained for national and international competitions. This experience instilled in the couple a love for finer wines and fresher styles.
In 2013, Cecilia and Guillermo welcomed their first child and decided to swap their urban lifestyle for peaceful, rural living. They arrived in the Roussillon and Guillermo joined the brothers at Domaine Danjou-Banessy to start a two year apprenticeship. Which followed by 6 months with Cyril Fhal at Clos du Rouge Gorge.
In 2017 the couple found vineyards in Vingrau and Tautavel, starting with 6 different grape varieties planted across 1.7ha. 2019 marked the first vinification in their cellar nestled underneath their family home in Vingrau. They now farm 8ha, half for future plantings. From the start they have worked in an organic way, wanting to produce wines with bright fruit, structure and freshness. They vinify as naturally as possible.
La Mariota wines capture the essence of the Roussillon region and flavours from the Mediterranean sea, offering a harmonious blend of tradition, flirting with oxidative notes and innovation. The pairs commitment to sustainability and minimal intervention ensures that each bottle reflects the unique terroir and vibrant character of the area.
The Wines
Meet Tacsum – the wine that dares you to read the label backwards.
This cuvée is now the flagship of La Mariota, a tiny wine estate set in the village of Vingrau in the Corbières foothills of Southern France / North Catalunya.
A blend of two different Muscat grapes: Petits Grains and Alexandrie, the former ripens early in August and the latter follows mid-September. Two different personalities: Petit Grains is punchy, racy, and ethereal; Alexandrie brings floral notes and gracefulness. Both are fully fermented in whole cluster for 12 days, followed by slow ageing for a year in stainless steel tank and a further 6 months in bottle. The result is a vibrant sunset-orange wine that smells like a Mediterranean flower market — orange blossom, clementine, a little ginger, a little spice, and herbal notes — and tastes like nothing you've had before. It's got grip, a gentle bitterness like orange peel in your favourite cocktail, and a finish that just won't quit.
Drink it with a cheeseboard, spiced roast chicken, curry night, or honestly just on its own with good company.
The Tacsum vibe is the equivalent of showing up somewhere unexpected and being the most interesting person in the room.
A must.
Orange
Whites
Meet Roc de la Vella – the crisp, mineral white with a poet's name that breaks away from all standards.
Roussillon might not be the first place that comes to mind when looking for fresh whites. But what Cecilia and Guillermo have achieved in a short period of time is very commendable.
Named after a local fountain, it's rightly fitted for such a crystalline wine with a big limestone soul.
2024 sees a new blend of 95% Macabeu and 5% Petit Manseng, and yet it still manages to be on par with the previous vintages.
The nose is vibrant with white flowers, citrus zest and crushed stone, with a saline, almost coastal edge. The Petit Manseng adds a flicker of ripe orchard fruit and a touch of tension, while the Macabeu keeps everything precise, dry and refreshingly mineral. It finishes long, saline and bone-dry — the kind of wine that makes you reach for a second glass before you've noticed the first one's gone.
Drink it with oysters, grilled fish, goat's cheese, or a lazy lunch in the sun.
Meet Bac de las Coves – the white that proves Roussillon does more than big reds and orange wine.
This single-vineyard wine is located in Tautavel, made solely from the elusive and captivating Grenache Blanc.
The rarest of the whites from La Mariota, Bac de las Coves is very captivating and textured.
Aged for a total of 24 months, including 12 in 400L barrels, the nose reveals another level of complexity with ripe stone fruit, blossom and a hint of herbs and nutty undertones. On the palate it's textured and mouth-filling, with a lovely balance between richness and freshness — the schist and marl soils keeping things precise rather than heavy. It finishes long, saline and gently herbal, like the last breeze off the garrigue at dusk.
Drink it with lemon and herb roast chicken and grilled vegetables, aged goat's cheese, or a simple bowl of pasta with olive oil and za'atar.
100% Grenache Blanc from steep schist-marl vineyards in Tautavel. Aged with finesse—12 months on lees in 400 L barrels followed by another 12 months in bottle—this organically farmed white delivers brightness, structure, and authenticity from Roussillon.
Reds
Le Vol des Etourneaux is the lightest expression of all the reds from La Mariota. Translating as "Starling thiefs" coming in flocks in the vineyards as soon as the grapes ripened, taking their part of the harvest. Cecilia and Guillermo are taking them at their game against them by harvesting just before full maturity, followed by a short maceration in whole bunches for 5 days. Resulting in a wine that is lighter in colour but packs a punch in flavours and texture. A blend of Grenache and Carignan supported by a dash of Syrah. To be served chilled!
