This line-up of ten Coup de Coeur (meaning personal favourite, top pick or 'wine of the moment' to coin my usual jargon) Roussillon champions were chosen by a London-based panel of wine media and educators from an extensive tasting organised by the Roussillon wine association in Perpignan.
I'd normally avoid talking about wines tasted and picked by other people, simply because I don't rehash competition results per se preferring to keep my blog content up-front and personal. But there were definitely several very good wines among these worth recommending from leading producers who are having some export success.
I've included my favourites from what was lined up on this particular red-spotted white-clothed table at a recent Roussillon wine event held in Edinburgh. This is the first of a few features to follow highlighting the excellent variety of winemakers, who showed their wares in Scotland's fair city, as well as the charming character their wines possess. Sunny, wild, airy, Grenache-y (ok, not all of them)...
Prices aren't exactly 'every day' - quality Roussillon wines have become dear in recent years (hard to find much under £15 in the expensive UK) and always will be given the essentially tiny production coming out of these dry, old-vine and often difficult to farm winelands. But if you accept this as is, the generally high quality holds up well when compared to similarly priced wines from elsewhere (white and red).
Domaine des Soulanes Vieilles Vignes blanc 2021 IGP Côtes Catalanes: 50-50 Grenache gris and Carignan gris. Soulanes is a husband and wife operation (Cathy and Daniel Laffite) located in the back-lands between Tautavel and Maury in the northern Roussillon that I've been following for many years. Nutty cidery notes to start on this aromatic and juicy white, intense lively mouthfeel while maturing beautifully. Very good. £27 Theatre of Wine, Cambridge Wine Merchants (2022 and 23).
Le Soula Blanc 2018 IGP Côtes Catalanes: Vermentino, Sauvignon blanc, Grenache blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Macabeu from the wild high-ground known as Fenouillèdes in the northwest; barrel-aged but not oaky. Now owned and run by Mark Walford with Wendy Wilson in charge in situ. Expensive (all their wines are) but delicious dry white, aromatic concentrated and intense, rich rounded and mature yet still very crisp and long. £32-£41 Thorman Hunt (importer), Vintage Drinks, Christopher Keiller Fine Wines, Hic! Wine Merchants, Grape & Grain Warehouse, Uncorked.
Domaine Gardiès Clos des Vignes blanc 2022 Côtes du Roussillon: Grenache blanc, Grenache gris, Macabeu, Roussanne. Barrel-fermented and aged in large casks for 12 months. Jean Gardiès, now joined by son Victor, has been around for 30 years; they have prime vineyards in Espira and Vingrau in the north. Pear and honeysuckle notes lead on to a rich yet crisp and intense palate. Lovely fine wine, one of the best whites at the tasting. £27-£32 Hallgarten & Novum Wines (importer), Strictly Wine, Spirits24, Great Wines Direct, Corking Wines.
Domaine Madeloc Tremadoc blanc 2022 Collioure: Grenache gris, Vermentino, Roussanne; barrel-fermented then 8 months with lees-stirring. Gorgeous white wine from coastal vineyards in the southeast; one of four estates owned by the Gaillard family (northern Rhône valley, Faugères, Banyuls-sur-mer). Exotic with subtle toasted tones lined with lees-y nutty characters, with lingering mouthfeel. £19-£23.50 Hallgarten & Novum Wines (importer), Strictly Wine, Spirits24, Great Wines Direct, Corking Wines, Noble Green Wines, All About Wine, The Wine Library, Shelved Wine.
Le Soula Rouge 2015 Côtes Catalanes: Carignan, Syrah, Grenache; 22 months' maturation mostly in casks (different sizes). The style isn't for everyone with its rustic nose and palate, but it's complex with subtle concentration, still a little firmness of tannins yet with attractive maturing savoury fruit, very nice depth and smoky finish. £35-£40 Thorman Hunt (importer), Tanner's Wines, Wine Freedom, Highbury Vintners, Wine and Greene, Ad Hoc, Salusbury wine store.
Domaine Treloar Motus 2019 Côtes du Roussillon: mostly Mourvèdre with Syrah; 12 months in barrel. Jonathon Hesford and Rachel Treloar's winery and vineyards are in and around the village of Trouillas, where they've been making wine for nearly 20 years (doesn't time fly!). The bottle was chilled for some reason (doesn't look like a white!), which might have accounted for the slightly odd reductive(?) nose (seems unlikely though given this wine is cask-aged for a year). Anyway, it didn't really matter since the palate offers a delightful mix of savoury meaty flavours, nicely maturing with rounded tannins and concentrated finish. £18-£20 Leon Stolarski, Cambridge Wine Merchants, Lloyds Wines, The Solent Cellar, Park Vintners, Vino Tap, Carte du Vin. €15 cellar door.
Domaine Madeloc Serral 2021 Collioure: mostly Grenache then Mourvèdre and Syrah; 15 months in oak. Aromatic pure fruit followed by chocolatey flavours and texture, beginning to mature well while still a little closed up. £19.50-£23.50 Hallgarten & Novum Wines (importer), Strictly Wine, Spirits24, Corking Wines, All About Wine, Wine Library (2020).
Château de Corneilla Cavalcade 2020 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Les Aspres: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre (12 months in 500L barrels). From the old-as-time Jonquères d'Oriola family's vineyards in the Aspres zone (middle-east); they have others around Corneilla del Vercol and south to Collioure. Tasty sweet vs savoury fruit, drinking very nicely with softened tannins. £13.50 The Wine Society (2019). Two other vintages (2021, 2019) of this consistent red will feature in my next report.
Terres Fidèles Organic 2021 Côtes du Roussillon Villages: Grenache and Carignan from the Maury area in the far north. One of a range developed by Scottish importer Alliance Wine, who is sourcing from some excellent old-vine vineyard sites (this one 40-80 year-old bush vines planted at 240-280m altitude). Enticingly soft with ripe peppery Grenache fruit then fresher and more structured mouthfeel, elegant despite a weighty 14.5% alc. £16-£17 Cheers Wine Merchants, The Fine Wine Company. Jaded Palates, Amps Wine Merchants, Newhouse & Co. (2019 vintage).
Mas Amiel 20 Year Old (20 Ans d'Age) Maury Doux Tuilé: mostly Grenache with a small amount of Carignan and Macabeu. Delicious old tawny style from one of the Roussillon's most famous estates, it's matured in demijohns outside for one year then barrels for another 20. Toffee and caramel aromas with meaty undertones, smooth and complex mouthfeel, lush and aged-tasting yet still alive; wow. £42-£48 Georges Barbier Wines, Lea and Sandeman. €67 Bubble Brothers (Cork).
There were also two other Vin Doux Naturel wines chosen, both by leading winery Parcé Frères, which in a moment of madness I can't have tasted (no notes): their 20 Ans Rivesaltes Ambré (cask-aged 'white') and 1982 Rivesaltes Tuilé (vintage tawny), available from the Wine Society in the UK.
Featured in my next Roussillon reports: more from Alliance / Terres Fidèles, Jonquères d'Oriola, Madeloc, Gardiès; plus Château Planères, Dom Brial and Domaine La Part des Anges; Domaine Sol Payré, Château de l'Ou, Mas Bécha and Mas de Lavail; Bila-Haut (Chapoutier), Bruno Andreu and VICA.
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