The vineyards of Mas des Chimères overlook Lac du Salagou, a reservoir created in the 1960s that flooded ancient farmland and left exposed some of the most geologically extraordinary soils in southern France. Guilhem Dardé recognised that character early, and the wines he has made here since 1993 are inseparable from the land's ancient memory.
Backstory
Guilhem's family connection to this land dates back to 1974, when his father and uncle began working it. Guilhem established his own private cellar and created Mas des Chimères in 1993, farming organically from the outset. His wife Palma joined the project in 1995, and their daughter Maguelonne came on board in 2008, making it a three-generation enterprise. The domain sits in the commune of Octon, on the border of the Salagou.
The Region
The Terrasses du Larzac appellation was created in 2003 to recognise the distinctive quality of wines produced on the limestone plateau and volcanic foothills south of the Larzac massif. Octon, at the western edge of the appellation, benefits from the cooling influence of the Salagou valley and the thermal mass of the lake itself. The landscape is marked by red-ochre cliffs and dark basaltic plateaus, giving the area a wild, otherworldly quality.
Vineyards and Farming
The estate works approximately 20 hectares across two distinct soil types: ancient red Permian soils estimated at 250 million years old, rich in iron and clay, and basaltic plateaus formed from cooled volcanic lava. This geological diversity produces wines of striking complexity. Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan form the basis of the reds; Grenache Blanc and Carignan Blanc anchor the whites. All farming is certified organic, with no synthetic inputs of any kind.
Winemaking
The cellar reflects the same philosophy as the vineyard: work with nature and intervene as little as possible. Harvesting is by hand; fermentations proceed spontaneously with indigenous yeasts; wines are aged in concrete or neutral oak to preserve freshness and allow terroir expression rather than winemaking character to dominate. Nothing is added to the wines beyond the minimum necessary to protect them in bottle.
The Wines
The range includes AOC Terrasses du Larzac reds and whites alongside Vins de Pays des Coteaux du Salagou. Oeillade is made from the rare Oeillade Noire variety, a grape Guilhem has preserved from disappearance in the region. Grains d'Ailleurs draws on the estate's mixed Grenache plantings. The whites, built on Grenache Blanc and Carignan Blanc, deliver mineral precision rare in the warm south.
