The 2024 coups de coeur from Roussillon

Roussillon is spending money on developing the UK market, with their third annual tasting providing a great opportunity to taste wines from old friends and also encounter some new producers.  This year began with a difference, with the winners of a competition to choose a couple of coups de coeur for each IGP and appellation.   I had been asked to participate in the judging but it look place on a day when l was on the TGV heading south to Beziers.

The coups de coeur were quite simply a delicious way to start the tasting.

2021 Domaine des Soulanes, Vieilles Vignes. Côtes Catalanes -  £27.00 -Theatre of Wine

A blend of equal parts of Grenache Gris and Carignan Gris.  This is beautifully focussed, with firm stony fruit on the nose and a palate with tight knit acidity and firm flinty fruit.  A very intense finish.  Delicious.  A great start to the tasting showing the quality of the white wines of Roussillon, which could be something of a surprise given the hot summers and drought problems of Roussillon

2018 Le Soula Blanc, Côtes Catalanes  - £32.00 

An intriguing blend of 54% Vermentino, 22% Sauvignon Blanc, 14% Grenache Blanc, 6% Marsanne and Roussanne, 4% Maccabeu.   A little colour.  Tight knit nose with fresh notes of agrumes or citrus fruit.  A firm palate with tight knit fruit and a flinty finish. Lots of nuances from the blend of grape varieties.  Benefits from some bottle age.

2015 Le Soula Rouge, Côtes Catalanes -  £35.00 Tanners Wines

Medium colour.  An elegantly evolving maturing nose and palate.  Some appealing leathery cedary fruit with supple tannins.  Shows how well the red wines of Roussillon can age.

2022 Clos des Vignes Blanc, Domaine Gardiés, Côtes du Roussillon Blanc - £33.99

60% Grenache  Blanc, 20% Grenache Gris, 10% Maccabeu

Light golden.  Quite a rich waxy lanolin nose.  On the palate, rounded and textured.  Some satisfying leesy notes with good weight and mouthfeel balanced with acidity.  

2019 Domaine Treloar, Côtes du Roussillon, Motus - £19.99

70% Mourvèdre with 30% Syrah.  Deep young colour.  Quite a firm sturdy nose balanced by a more opulent richer palate.  Black fruit with supple tannins and a harmonious finish.  A modest 13.5%

2022 Domaine Madeloc,  Tremadoc Blanc, Collioure. - £23.99 

60% Grenache Gris,30% Vermentino, 10% Roussanne.

Firm structured nose with a more rounded palate.  White blossom and some herbal notes.  A rounded finish.

2020 Domaine Madeloc, Serral Rouge, Collioure -  £23.99. 

60% Grenache Noir, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah

Medium colour.  Quite a rounded elegant nose.  Appealing perfume, and on the palate more structure and depth.

2021 Terres Fidèles, Côtes du Roussillon Villages - £16.99

30% Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah, 40% Carignan Noir

Medium colour.  Quite rounded ripe fruit and spice, and on the palate some structure with supple tannins, spicy fruit and a warm finish.  

2020 Château de Corneilla, Côtes du Roussillon Villages, les Aspres,  Cavalcade, Jonquères d'Oriola Vignobles - £13.50

50% Syrah, 25% Grenache Noir, 25% Mourvèdre

Good deep colour. Quite a firm, study nose and palate.  Youthful tannins, balancing ripe fruit, with some dry peppery spice.   Youthful potential.

20 years Rivesaltes Ambré, Sélection Parcé Frères - £25.00 from The Wine Society

Enticing old gold amber colour. Richly honeyed with a firm bite.  Mature with lingering notes of walnuts on the finish.

1982 Rivesaltes Tuilé, Sélection Parcé Frères  - £45.00 - also from The Wine Society

100% Grenache Noir

Tawny colour.  Quite solid rounded spicy nose and palate.  Quite dense and rich, with alcohol, acidity and fruit all in balance, with a long limbering finish.   Beautifully aged.

20 Year old Mas Amiel, Maury Doux - £42.00 

90% Grenache Noir with 5% Carignan Noir 5% and 5% Macabeo 

Quite a deep colour.  Quite rounded dense fruit on the nose and palate.  Redolent of walnuts.  A touch of balancing acidity.  Long and lingering and delicious.   I love these wines and Mas Amiel is the estate that created and maintained the reputation of Maury.