This week at the SAQ #19

The brown shale banks of Banyuls-sur-Mer offer a unique terroir for crafting great, racy, saline wines that possess both power and elegance. Domaine de la Rectorie is without a shadow of a doubt one of the flagship projects of the region's steep terraces. The Parcé family were among the pioneers of table wines (i.e., dry and unfortified) in a region that, until 1970, focused on *vins doux naturels* (sweet fortified wines). In 2002, their qualitative dedication was recognized when the Collioure appellation was officially approved for dry white, red, and rosé wines.

Far from the pale rosé of Provence, Collioure rosés are consistently darker, more powerful and vinous, and closer to reds that are meant to be served chilled!

Here we have a blend of 60% Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah, and 10% Carignan, all fermented and aged in neutral oak barrels for seven months before bottling.

This wine will be a dining companion throughout the summer and can even accompany you into the season that only exists in North America, as Joe Dassin used to say.

• Pairing suggestion: summer BBQ; in autumn, try it with a lamb tajine or a root vegetable stew.
• A bit of trivia: geographically, the Collioure appellation area is the same as that of Banyuls. Their only distinction until 1971 was the type of wines produced, as Banyuls exclusively made fortified wines.
• To better understand Roussillon: We are planning a workshop on the subject for the 24/25 season.
• Because it's a rare treat, the Thérèse Reig 2022 cuvée from the same estate, but in a fortified version, will be enjoyable to drink in a 500ml bottle. $26 at the SAQ (10322661  ) 

Every year, the Faugères appellation in the Languedoc is the one with the most estates that capture our taste-related imagination.

I still remember my first meeting with Frédéric Brouca in 2014. Married to a Canadian diplomat, he naturally spends a lot of time on this side of the ocean. In 2012, he purchased his 10-hectare estate, which is entirely managed using organic farming practices, and creates wines with minimal intervention.

The ‘Champs Pentus’ cuvée is the flagship wine of the estate, made solely from old vines in a proportion of 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 30% Carignan. The grapes are vinified with minimal extraction and the wine is aged in vats and 10% neutral wood.

It is a medium-bodied wine, focused on ripe black fruits (Grenache), a subtle animal note (Carignan), and supported by a saline/briny framework reminiscent of olive tapenade (Syrah).

• Pairing suggestion: a hearty pizza with tomatoes, Kalamata olives, artichokes, and mozzarella—and why not add anchovies to finish it off!
• A bit of trivia: with only about sixty estates covering 2,000 hectares, it is normal to see few Faugères on our shelves...
• To better understand Grenache: Sign up for the waiting list for our varietal aperitif on the subject this fall, 2024!
• For a Faugères you can tuck away and wait for, try the 2020 Transhumance by Pierre Gaillard at $28 at the SAQ (14861987 )

The end of the 20th century in Languedoc marked the arrival of two major trends that would shake the foundations of the wine-making world.

First, the rise in the status of *petits* (humble) wines—inexpensive options that flooded the local and European markets and turned the region into the country's largest producer of wine by volume.

Second, the rise in quality of the *forgotten* terroirs of the Languedoc hillsides.

The municipalities of the Terrasses du Larzac are arguably those that best symbolize this qualitative revolution in the 1990s, with the founding of several estates that are legendary today.

Vines have been present in the Languedoc region since Roman times. In the terraces, during the 8th century, the Romans yielded their place to Benedictine monks, who navigated the Middle Ages better than the Empire.

The diversity of soils, the distance from the sea, and the altitude make the region conducive to producing great wines with diverse taste profiles, always defined by finesse and elegance.

Guillhem Dardé has worked in the wine industry since 1974 and founded his estate in 1993.

The ‘Nuit Grave’ cuvée is made with equal parts Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Grenache, sourced from a basaltic (lava) terroir. The wine is aged for 18 months in neutral oak barrels before bottling. In your glass, you will find a wine with more pronounced freshness and finesse than is typical for this type of blend. This unique character is brought about by the altitude and the basaltic soils. The tannins are present but velvety. A superb value for money for the region.

• Pairing suggestion: rosemary lamb chops, on the BBQ or otherwise...
• A bit of trivia: we love the appellation's motto, which perfectly reflects their wines: *The generosity of Languedoc, the freshness of the Larzac!*
• To better understand Languedoc: we are preparing a workshop on the subject for the 24/25 season.
• And you won't want to miss the 100% Cinsault Oeillade 2022 from the same producer, also arriving this week at $26 at the SAQ (15304470 )