There’s a lot of qualities that this wine has that are lacking in most mass produced wines. First, it’s older vines. Including some that are bush vines instead of trellised. Instead of neat uniform rows of vines, picture short bushes with a small canopy that shades the grapes from sunlight. The yield is also much lower because of this. Low yield means more concentration and more flavor from the fruit. Wine that is similarly priced to Domaine de la Dourbie Petit Canet d’Oc rarely is made form bush vines, and rarely is made with a low yield.
Another quality that is unique here is the use of indigenous yeast. Most wines, including much of the new world is made by inoculating the juice with a specific cultured yeast. These cultured yeast give a wine a specific flavor or fermentation. It’s my opinion that the very best wines are made with out adding yeast. Natural yeast exists all over the skin of the grapes from the vineyards and also in the cellar. This wild yeast is unique to the vintage and place and it’s what gives great wine complexity. Domaine de la Dourbie Petit Canet d’Oc ferments entirely on indigenous yeast.
It’s also made with organic grapes.