Mas de la Devèze, Tautavel: Nathalie and Simon Hugues rebuilt 27 hectares in the heart of Roussillon

The first harvest at Mas de la Devèze was awaited like the arrival of a newborn, months of preparation, then the smell of fermentation filling the cellar for the very first time. That is how Nathalie and Simon Hugues describe the founding moment of the estate they rebuilt entirely from scratch in Tautavel, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Today, the estate farms 27 hectares of vines under sustainable, low-intervention practices, spread across the Maury, Côtes du Roussillon Villages and Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel appellations, available direct from the producer on Avenue des Vins.

Available directly from the estate on Avenue des Vins.

How would you describe Mas de la Devèze ?

From bare hillside to 27 hectares of rebuilt vineyard

Mas de la Devèze was bought in 2012 by Nathalie and Simon Hugues, then based in Provence, Simon as a farmer near Aix-en-Provence, Nathalie as an export sales manager in the wine trade. Taking over a wine estate was a shared ambition, a way to bring their agricultural and commercial backgrounds together. Tautavel drew them in for its wild setting and a terroir they believed could produce great, characterful, distinctly typed wines, without losing sight of sound economics.

But at the time of purchase, the Mas and its buildings came with no vines at all, just hillside. The work that followed was to rebuild the vineyard as it once existed, acquiring producing vines progressively from several owners around the property, selected by terroir, by the grape varieties they wanted to work with, by appellation, and by vine age. Some grubbing-up and replanting completed this reconstruction from 2021 onward.

When we bought the Mas and all its buildings, there wasn't a single vine included in the sale, just hillside.

The estate now farms 27 hectares under sustainable, low-intervention practices, with regular ploughing. The entire vineyard sits within the commune of Tautavel, yet spans three distinct appellations: Maury, Côtes du Roussillon Villages and Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel, a diversity of terroirs that allows for a wide range, extending to sweet wines. The current line-up counts 12 wines across all three colours, every grape hand-harvested.

When did wine get into your blood ?

From Purpan to vineyards worldwide, a calling confirmed on the ground

It was during her studies at the École Supérieure d'Agriculture de Purpan, in Toulouse, that wine got into Nathalie's blood. Her placements in the wine trade, in France and abroad, confirmed what had until then only been a hunch: she wanted to work in wine. What followed, in her own words, was a love of the product itself, and an appreciation for the beauty and the sheer variety of the craft.

My wine placements, in France and abroad, confirmed that I wanted to work in the wine trade.

This export background, paired with Simon's agricultural experience, directly shaped the choice of Mas de la Devèze: an estate to rebuild from the ground up, where each of them could put to use what they already knew, viticulture on one side, trade and export on the other.

What philosophy guides your work in the vineyard and the cellar ?

Respecting the raw material to reveal Maury and Tautavel

The estate's philosophy comes down to a simple statement: there are no beautiful wines without beautiful raw material. Work in the vineyard and in the cellar pursues a single goal, to respect the terroir and the grape, in order to reveal the full potential of what the Maury and Tautavel terroirs can offer, without forcing it and without masking it.

There are no beautiful wines without beautiful raw material. Respect for the terroir, for the grapes, to reveal all that our wonderful Maury and Tautavel terroirs have to offer.

That respect begins at harvest: every single grape on the estate is picked by hand, parcel by parcel, to preserve the integrity of the fruit all the way to the cellar.

Which wine best represents your estate ?

Maury sec, the under-the-radar appellation that deserves wider recognition

The wine that best represents Mas de la Devèze is a Maury sec, grown on black schist soils where Grenache Noir finds a complementarity few other soils can offer. Maury sec is a young appellation: long reserved for Vin Doux Naturel, Roussillon's traditional fortified sweet wines, it remains little known to the wider public, even though, in Nathalie and Simon's own words, it deserves to be far better known.

A magnificent black schist terroir, a beautiful complementarity between Grenache Noir and the soil. A young appellation, still little known, but one that deserves to be widely known.

At the table, this Maury sec is best enjoyed during a good meal among friends, alongside red meat, game or lamb, pairings that match the quiet power of Grenache grown on schist.

Why follow Mas de la Devèze ?

Three appellations, twelve wines, one preserved landscape

What gets Nathalie and Simon up every morning is the sheer variety of the job, from vine to sale, by way of the cellar, and the richness of the encounters that path brings. That same diversity runs through the estate's range: 12 wines across all three colours, spread over three different appellations within a single commune, a rare configuration in Roussillon. Among them, the Pandore white, the wine Nathalie and Simon themselves open with friends, served well chilled, as an aperitif.

Asked for one phrase to describe their estate, Nathalie and Simon answer: an exceptional, wild, preserved environment, a description that captures both the hillside landscape and the spirit in which the vineyard has been rebuilt since 2012. Looking ahead, their ambitions centre on growing their commercial presence in France and abroad, and on creating a guest cottage at the heart of the estate.

Discover the wines of Mas de la Devèze directly from the estate, at the estate price, in a short supply chain on Avenue des Vins.

Frequently asked questions about Mas de la Devèze

Who runs Mas de la Devèze ?

The estate is run by Nathalie and Simon Hugues, who bought it in 2012. Simon, a farmer, and Nathalie, a former export sales manager in the wine trade, rebuilt the vineyard together from a bare hillside to today's 27 hectares.

Where is Mas de la Devèze located ?

The estate is located in Tautavel, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, in Roussillon. Its 27-hectare vineyard spans three appellations: Maury, Côtes du Roussillon Villages and Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel.

Since when has the estate existed ?

Mas de la Devèze was bought in 2012. The vineyard has been entirely rebuilt since then, as the estate originally came with no vines, and was further completed with new plantings from 2021 onward.

What is the Maury sec appellation ?

Maury sec is a young Roussillon appellation, grown on black schist soils once reserved exclusively for Vin Doux Naturel, the region's traditional fortified sweet wines. Grenache Noir shows a strong affinity with this soil, producing dry red wines that remain little known but are highly distinctive.

What grape varieties are grown at Mas de la Devèze ?

The estate grows several Roussillon grape varieties, including Grenache Noir, central to the Maury sec, and Syrah. All grapes are hand-harvested, parcel by parcel.

What food pairs well with Mas de la Devèze's wines ?

The Maury sec pairs particularly well with red meat, game or lamb, shared over a meal among friends. The estate also produces a white wine, the Pandore, enjoyed well chilled as an aperitif.

How many wines does Mas de la Devèze produce ?

The estate produces 12 wines across all three colours, including sweet wines, drawn from its three appellations: Maury, Côtes du Roussillon Villages and Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel.

Why buy Mas de la Devèze wines through Avenue des Vins ?

On Avenue des Vins, Mas de la Devèze's wines are available direct from the producer, shipped from the estate in Tautavel, full traceability, fair pricing, and direct access to a 12-wine range drawn from three different appellations.