Filmmaker Ridley Scott’s wine brand Mas des Infermières celebrates UK launch

Napoleon director Ridley Scott is best known for his remarkable catalogue of award-winning films, but the auteur’s latest project is proving equally cinematic. Launched in the UK in December, Mas des Infermières is the filmmaker’s sustainably-created and artistically designed wine collection, and is already making waves thanks to its fresh and elegant take on classic Provence flavour profiles.

At an exclusive launch event on 28 November, hosted in a private dining suite at the newly opened 1 Hotel Mayfair, representatives from the family-run vineyard offered guests—including Tempus—a selection from the impressive collection. Each Mas des Infermières wine—an elegant sparkling rosé, fresh white and rosé, and two exceptional reds—was perfectly paired with dishes curated by the chefs of the hotel’s acclaimed Dovetale restaurant by Tom Sellers.The Scott family acquired the Mas des Infermières estate—located in the Luberon, Provence—in 1992, with Ridley describing it as a place of creativity, respite and film-making inspiration. The vineyard holds the French HVE sustainability certification and has been certified ‘Bee-Friendly’ for its sustainable viticulture practices, which includes growing vines in such a way that the estate’s biodiversity (and protection for bees) is preserved and enhanced. 

The award-winning 30-hectare estate now produces ten wines, expertly blended by master winemaker Christophe Barraud, six of which are currently available in the UK. 

The Source collection comprises a white cuvée with notes of citrus, peaches and a hint of fresh almond; an elegant rosé cuvée with fresh exotic fruits on the palate; and a finely balanced red with notes of glazed spices and black fruits. Likewise, the Chevalier collection includes a smooth white with floral and vanilla notes; a flagship rosé with deep red fruits and a fresh finish; and a powerful red mix of syrah, grenache and carignan grapes that boasts a woody, fruity and spicy aromas and suggests good ageing potential. 

And if that’s not enough to whet one’s whistle, a special rouge cuvée, Ombre de Lune, will soon be available in the UK and is currently produced by magnum only. This stand out, silk-textured red is a bold mix of 90% syrah and 10% grenache, aged for 12 months in French oak barrels, and offers flavours of stewed black fruits and spices.