About this WINE
Domaine de la Rectorie
Banyuls is just down the road from Collioure and, whereas one is more famous for red and one for white, they both share the same extraordinary beauty, with a luminous Mediterranean backdrop framing natural bays with steep sea-facing vineyards and balmy breezes. Domaine de la Rectorie, run by the Parce family for over a century, has had the good sense to make wine in both appellations.
Collioure has gained plaudits over the last few decades for the quality of its white wines, but one should not forget that red grapes are still more planted here and that not too long ago they would all have gone into Banyuls.
Their Montage cuvée is planted, as the name suggests, on the highest vineyards and is picked relatively late; it is a fascinating blend of equal proportions of Carignan, Grenache, Counoise and Mouvèdre. The Counoise is especially interesting, celebrated by, amongst others, the Perrins at Château de Beaucastel, and adds aromas of violet and even jasmine to the ensemble.
Cuvée Leon Parce is a classic fortified Banyuls, the Grenache having been allowed to macerate for three weeks in the neutral alcohol (96 % abv), which is added fairly quickly to arrest the initial fermentation. This extended maceration, allied to the innate thickness of the Grenache skins, ensures a purity of structure and avoids any danger of confection.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Other Varieties
There are over 200 different grape varieties used in modern wine making (from a total of over 1000). Most lesser known blends and varieties are traditional to specific parts of the world.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
Description
This rosé is not one to readily comply with the routine requirements of AOC Collioure Rosé; its colour lacking the requisite brightness and the application of oak being conducive to interest and complexity but not, apparently, to the constraints of bureaucracy.
When first poured there was a distinctly oxidative quality to the nose, not obtrusive but certainly attention-grabbing when tasted alongside a range of more orthodox wines. Don’t be put off by this, this is a serious wine and requires a little time to show its true colours. Revisited it showed an intensity of wild strawberry fruit alongside the savoury garrigue-esque notes of rosemary and thyme, and ¬retains some of the initial oxidative element in an undercurrent of hazelnut. This is well suited as a food wine and would partner well with delicate red meat dishes such as a rare-roast rack of lamb or, dare I say it, the annual visitation of roast turkey.
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee