The name is Occitan for couch grass, the stubborn weed that colonises neglected vineyard land and signals ground coming back to life. Mathias Guerrero Abras chose it deliberately when he established his domaine in 2019 near Puilacher in the Languedoc, taking over plots that had been partially abandoned and coaxing them back to health with meticulous hand work and the conviction that wine needs nothing added beyond the grape itself.
Backstory
Mathias Guerrero Abras registered his enterprise on 20 August 2019. A musician before he was a winegrower, he was inspired in part by the Occitan folk song "L'Erba d'Agram" by the group Barrut, and the name captured both the plant ecology of his reclaimed vineyards and the cultural roots of the region. From the beginning he committed to certified organic viticulture, and holds Demeter biodynamic, AB, Biodyvin, Nature et Progrès, and S.A.I.N.S. certifications.
The Region
The domaine is based in Aniane, a village in the Hérault department of Languedoc-Roussillon that has become something of a centre of gravity for thoughtful, small-scale wine producers. The vineyards sit at the boundary of Puilacher, surrounded by trees and scrub, and are bordered by the Rouviège stream. Soils are argilo-calcaires, a rich clay-limestone blend that retains moisture and supports dense vine root systems.
Vineyards and Farming
Mathias farms 5 hectares organically with Demeter biodynamic certification. He minimises tractor use to avoid compacting soil and carries out as much vineyard work as possible by hand. Companion planting, natural ground cover, and the biodiversity of the surrounding landscape are all part of the system. The approach aligns with S.A.I.N.S., a particularly strict natural wine charter that insists on zero oenological additions of any kind.
Winemaking
White wines are made like reds, with 15-day maceration and daily punch-downs to extract texture and phenolic depth before pressing. Red grapes are destemmed but not crushed, left in gentle maceration to preserve fruit integrity. Wines are aged six to eight months in tank. No sulfur dioxide is added at any stage, and no oenological aids of any kind are used. Harvesting is entirely by hand.
The Wines
The range includes the estate red and white blends sold under the L'Erba d'Agram label, as well as the cuvée "Drôle d'Idée." The wines are textured, direct, and alive with the aromatic intensity of the Languedoc's Mediterranean climate, showing what happens when ripe southern fruit is handled with northern European precision and zero compromise.