2006 Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes

30% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Grenache Blanc, 25% Marsanne & Roussanne, 10% Macabeu, 10% Malvoisie. Yield 19 hl/ha. 30% new French oak 500-litre barrels for between 10 and 15 months, on fine lees. Light filtration before bottling. 13,500 bottles produced. Very pale straw. Starting to develop rather haunting honey-and-smoke tertiary aromas. Real nerve. Masses of acidity and extract. Very long. (JR)

Mint, pineapple, white peach, and alkaline mineral suggestions rise from the glass of 2006 Soula white. Luscious and juicy on entry – and, like its year-younger counterpart, exceedingly snappy and bright – this turns downright tart in the finish, if also lastingly mineral. I’m not sure what to make of the whole effect. The partners opine that it will be worth hanging on to, but I’m skeptical. In 2001, Gerard Gauby, Eric Laguerre and (U.K. Gauby-agent) Roy Richards teamed up to create Le Soula. Their passive partner is the cooperative of Maury, whose members own the scattered parcels from which it is rendered, located on granite soils at around 1600-foot elevation near the village of St. Martin in the far west of viticultural Roussillon. None of the small quantity of these wines has to my knowledge yet reached the U.S.

Gamey, soft opulent nose but no hint of simple sweetness. Very exciting with lots of both meat, body and freshness. This year apparently there has been much gentle extraction and whole bunch pressing. A blend of Grenache Noir, Carignan, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon this year but there are plans to omit the Cabernet in future. (JR)