Domaine Sol-Payré was created by Gustave Payré in 1913. The wines are now made by Gustave's grandson, Jean-Claude Sol and his wife Pascale. Previously based in the centre of the old town of Elne, south-east of Perpignan, the family moved a few years ago to a fine new house and purpose-built winery set in the heart of the vineyards, just a couple of kilometres away.
Many of the vines here date back to when the domaine was created, and yields range from just 40 hl/ha down to as little as 32 hl/ha. The wines of Sol-Payré are deservedly very highly rated in the Guide Hachette, the French wine-buyer's "bible".
The red wines are made from from Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan and Cinsault, with different percentages used for the different cuvées. And since the Roussillon region enjoys such a wonderful climate, with more hours of sunshine per annum than anywhere else in France, fruit is definitely the dominant force in these lovely wines.
Although the Côtes du Roussillon appellation does not have quite the same reputation and kudos as Côtes du Roussillon Villages, the wines deserve to be better known, for they have a style quite unlike the wines of anywhere else in France. The wines of Domaine Sol-Payré have now been a very important mainstay of our list for more than 15 years, and never fail to impress. Try some, and you will see what we mean.
