Domaine Treloar Le Rescapé Carignan 2017 Côtes Catalanes

100% Carignan, with 50% coming from 75 year-old vines planted on clay-limestone terroir in Les Aspres and 50% from 40 year-old vines grown on black schiste, high up in the hills of Forca Real. Total yields are a miniscule 15 hl/ha, with just 2,000 bottles produced annually. For this vintage, 50% of the grapes were fermented using carbonic maceration, whilst the remaining 50% were fermented tradtionally (some of which were whole bunches, stalks and all).

I can pay it no higher compliment than to say that this reeks of Carignan - it simply could not be anything else! Soused red and black fruit aromas abound, with additional notes of blackcurrant leaf, burning incense, curry spices, damp earth, polished old leather, cigar box, and a welcome hint of volatile acidity. It really is a very complex and very lovely nose. Even at this early stage in its evolution (3 years, at the time of writing) it is a remarkably approachable and supremely elegant wine, crammed full of raspberry, redcurrant and bramble fruit flavours, with all manner of exotic spice, herb and tertiary elements, wrapped around a core of fine, lapsang tea-like tannins and mouth-watering soft citrus acidity. The inaugural 2016 vintage of this cuvée was a remarkably good wine, but in my opinion, this one is even better. I make no secret of my opinion that Carignan is the absolute jewel in the crown of Languedoc/Roussillon wine - and this is definitely one of the finest examples of its kind.