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Le Soula VDP des cotes catalanes Le Soula rouge 2010

France, Roussillon

89 TWA

Le Soula VDP des cotes catalanes Le Soula rouge

An elegant, fresh, vibrant and balanced wine made from old vines carignan at very low yield. A wonderful display of low-intervention winemaking.

Country	France
Region	Roussillon
Appellation	VDP Cotes Catalanes
Winery	Le Soula
Vintage	2010
Color	Red
Varietal(s)	Carignan (71%), Syrah (25%), Grenache (4%).

¥7,651 (incl. tax)

An elegant, fresh, vibrant and balanced wine made from old vines carignan at very low yield. A wonderful display of low-intervention winemaking.

Country	France
Region	Roussillon
Appellation	VDP Cotes Catalanes
Winery	Le Soula
Vintage	2010
Color	Red
Varietal(s)	Carignan (71%), Syrah (25%), Grenache (4%).

Owning & Enjoying

Tasting notes

An amalgam of cassis and blackberry, along with bittersweet floral perfume and mint. It reveals bright juiciness and a subtly silken texture, along with mouth-watering salinity, leading to an exuberantly interactive and invigorating sense of mineral-fruit-flower exchange that leaves you remarkably refreshed, not to mention intrigued and enticed to take the next sip. The finish is lengthy with tannins and acidity well integrated.

Pairing

Grilled Fillet of Beef and wild mushrooms, St Nectaire.

Press

89Robert Parker

The top wine of the estate, and a lively, complex effort, the 2010 Vin de Pays Cotes Catalanes is a blend of mostly Carignan (70%), with smaller components of Syrah and Grenache, that comes mostly from decomposed granite soils and spent 20 months in a combination of demi-muids (10% new) and tank. It offers a gamey, spice-laced bouquet of sweet black cherries, leather, rock salt and dried flowers that gives way to a medium-bodied, lightly textured, savory, yet decidedly juicy profile on the palate. Relatively open and already drinking nicely, enjoy bottles over the coming 3-5 years.

Production

Terroir

Decomposed Granite and Schist between 350m and 550m high.

Viticulture

Biodynamic farming. Single spur (guyot) and bush vines (gobelet) pruning. Ploughing. Leaf Thinning. Hand harvest.

Vinification

Whole bunch maceration for 2-3 weeks. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged in tank (29%), new oak (10%), one year (6%) and older demi-muids (55%) for 20 months. No fining and light filtration.

Production Amount

14200

Data

Closure	Natural Cork
Volume	750ml
Alcohol	13%
Product Code	10R081
MLF	yes
Inventory	In Stock (41)
Wine Datasheet (PDF)	PDF Datasheet

Winery

Winery Description

In 2001 Gérard Gauby revealed that he had discovered some vines high up in the Agly valley (he had, in fact, discovered some abandoned vines in the Fenouillèdes). He told Roy Richards and Mark Walford of his discovery, which presented an opportunity for them to go into partnership. After some thought, Roy and Mark decided to commit to the venture, the reputation of Soula started to be established in 2001.

The Fenouillèdes
The Fenouillèdes is an ancient route to Spain, situated between Catalonia and the Languedoc. The region reaches 1300 metres altitude. As you approach the plain the climate is Mediterranean (gentle and humid winter, hot and dry summer) and as you approach the Pyrenees it becomes cooler, typical of a mountainous terrain.

The Vinification
Since its start in 2001, Le Soula has worked all its vineyards without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The vineyards are farmed biodynamically. Because of poor soils and strict pruning the yields are very low. The vinification is made with indigenous yeasts while the ageing takes place in old foudres and barrels. Only very low level of sulfur is added. The altitude of the vineyards and the big temperature change between hot aysand cold nights enable Gerald to produce wines with complex fruits and excellent freshness. All wines from Le Soula are complex, fresh and delicate.

Customer Reviews