Domaine Bila-Haut (Chapoutier)
Chapoutier made a move on the Roussillon more than 20 years ago establishing a vineyard and winery base in Latour de France in the north (first vintage 2001). Further projects and wines followed from nearby Lesquerde to Collioure and Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Côte d'Azur coast, some from owned vineyard blocks and some in partnership with other growers. There's now quite a broad range available from the region (UK importer is Hatch Mansfield), which, like the man, become more intellectual, mysterious and eccentric as you move up the scale. Quoting Michel from the company's website: "Si je reste immobile, je tombe." (If I stand still, I'll fall over.) His sophisticated site-selection wines can be intense and classy, although the top ones are expensive. Photo: vines in Latour de France from www.chapoutier.com.
Bila-Haut blanc 2022 Côtes du Roussillon (13% abv): majority Grenache Blanc with Grenache Gris and Macabeu. Pure and crisp overlaid with attractive perfumed apricot fruit, nice lingering finish. UK £14. France €8.50.
Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem blanc 2019 Côtes du Roussillon (13% abv): majority Grenache Blanc with Vermentino (organic). Fermentation: 70% in stainless tanks, 30% in demi-muids (600 litre casks); aged 9 months with batônnage for the cask portion (lees stirring). Maturing nose with hazelnut notes, oily and rounded palate with fresh crisp finish still. Lovely white. £20, €15 cellar door.
Bila-Haut Sélection Parcellaire Chrysopée blanc 2020 Collioure (14% abv): majority Grenache Gris with Grenache Blanc. Fermented in demi-muids then 6 months' maturation with batônnage to start. Rich and oaty balanced by crisp tight structure, concentrated and classy. Very good. £48, €68 cellar door.
Bila-Haut rouge 2022 Côtes du Roussillon Villages (14.5% abv): Syrah and Grenache. Delicious ripe sweet fruit with cherry liquorice and spice, fairly concentrated with light tannic grip. £14, €8.50.
Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem rouge 2019 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France (14.5% abv): mostly Syrah and Grenache (organic), 50-50 tank/cask aged for a few months. Maturing nicely with lovely fruit, still quite firm mouthfeel but well-textured tannins. £20, €15.
Bila-Haut Sélection Parcellaire Chrysopée rouge 2020 Collioure (15.5% abv): majority Grenache with 10% Mourvèdre. Ageing: 70% in concrete vats and 30% in demi-muid for 15 to 18 months. Surprisingly tight and firm on the palate, big powerful wine with plenty of aromatic spicy fruit. Like Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the sea! £46, €56.
Bila-Haut Sélection Parcellaire V.I.T 2019 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France (14.5% abv): two-thirds Grenache with Syrah (organic), aged in barrique for 18 months. Denser and more concentrated, wild herb and other complex flavours, has those tricky 2019 vintage tannins though (slightly drying). £53 / €68.
Bila-Haut Sélection Parcellaire R.I 2020 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Lesquerde (15% abv): Mostly old bush vine Syrah, 18 months ageing in different barrels. Wow! Really dense but loaded with delicious black cherry fruit and much better tannin texture / structure. Impressive although dear of course: £83 / €116.
Banyuls Rimage 2021 (17.5% abv): Grenache, matured for 8 months in tanks (reductively i.e. sealed and full to the top to exclude air). Still pretty grippy on the palate vs lush and sweet with lots of perfumed fruit. Needs more time in bottle. €31.50 cellar door.
Maison Bruno Andreu
Based near Montpellier in the Languedoc, Bruno has a 20-year winegrowing and winemaking track record and "decided to create my own brand to avoid putting limitations on quality and territory." He and his wife renovated an old cellar to incorporate 200 barrels, where they blend and age a selection of wines bought from partner-producers in the Languedoc and Roussillon, mostly for export. His wines are available from de Burgh Wine Merchants in Scotland: Caramany photo below from www.de-burgh.com.
BA Latour de France 2021 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France (14.5% abv): 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, Carignan and Mourvèdre. Hints of oak on the nose (all three reds are aged for 12 months in barrel) with enticing fruit layered on top, well balanced with a spicy finish. £19
BA Caramany 2020 Côtes de Roussillon villages Caramany (14% abv): 51% Syrah, 43% Carignan and Grenache. Also shows a touch of oak to start with plenty of peppery black fruits though, concentrated with nice rounded tannins. Very good. £16-£23
BA Tautavel 2019 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel (14.5% abv): 50% Mourvèdre, 40% Syrah and Carignan. Rich and smoky with attractive maturing savoury side, concentrated and weighty with subtle oak texture. £15-£22
VICA (formerly known as Vignerons Catalans)
As the title says, VICA (Vignes Coopératives (Catalanes)) is the latest name for probably the Roussillon's largest producer (which in context doesn't make them so massive compared to epic wineries and brands in other areas of France or countries), centred on a huge wine factory on the outskirts of Perpignan. They use the more-dramatic brand name 'Les Vignes du Vent' on the labels. Sourcing from most of the region's main co-op cellars, what it does give them is potentially grapes from 10,000 hectares owned by 1000 co-op growers, hence flexibility and cost-effectiveness.
Nothing super-exciting here, but there are a few well-made and eminently drinkable wines. More @ www.vica.fr.
Entre Copains blanc 2023 Côtes Catalanes (12.5% abv): Muscat petits grains and Muscat d’Alexandrie fermented at low temperature then held in tanks on the fine lees for 2 months before bottling. Aromatic and dry style of Muscat - the nose is gloriously typical - with fresh fruit and zingy finish. Very nice dry white. Their site offers some food matching ideas: various seafood (obvs), risotto with fresh asparagus, scallop kebabs or goat cheese. €6.10 cellar door. $20 Canada.
Red Domus 2021 Côtes du Roussillon blanc (13% abv): Curious name for a white wine made from 70% Grenache Blanc, 25% Macabeu, 5% Vermentino; no oak, so the ageing was in bottle. Yeast-lees-y and oily with honeyed fruit yet crisp mouthfeel, elegant while concentrated and developing tasty nutty flavours. €9.30 cellar door.
Farniente Rosé 2023 Côtes Catalanes (12.5% abv): Grenache and Syrah. Zingy and crisp with red berry fruits, nice enough rosé although a bit too 'clean' and white-like. €7 cellar door.
Grenache Art et Vin 2022 Côtes Catalanes rouge (15% abv): 100% Grenache. Lovely juicy Grenache fruit with kirsch and wild herb notes, soft yet punchy palate. €6.69 Belgium.
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