Domaine de la Casa Blanca > Languedoc/ Roussillon

Domaine de la Casa Blanca > Languedoc/ Roussillon > France

COLLIOURE and BANYULS

Banyuls and Collioure are two Appellation Controlée wines which share the same geographical region. The vines grow on terraced, schistous mountainside vineyards located smack up against the Mediterranean Sea near the Spanish border. The steep slopes and very poor soil combined with constantly buffeting winds off the sea makes grape production difficult but yields great wines. The vines grow low to the ground and each must be planted, tended and harvested by hand. Yields are astonishingly low, at most 20 HL/HA.

Casa Blanca is the oldest family domain in the AOC, consisting of 10 hectares of carefully tended vines ranging in age from 70 to 100 years. The goal of proprietor/winemaker Herve Levano and vineyard manager Laurent Escapa is to make intense, flavorful wines that combine the best of traditional methods (i.e. wood ageing) with the advantages of modern techniques (i.e. temperature control). Their superb wines have been praised in GaultMillau, Hachette, Dussert-Gerber and the Revue du Vin de France and have been awarded the prestigious Saint-Bacchus award for best of Roussillon.

Banyuls

Levano makes his sweet red wine in the style of a Vintage Port, emphasizing the fresh fruit flavors in youth and meant for long aging. This type of Banyuls is called Rimage in the local Catalan dialect. Made solely from Grenache Noir, the grapes macerate for 2 weeks after the mutage (addition of grape spirits to stop fermentation). The wine then ages in Bordeaux barrels for 12 months, which is unusual in this appellation and perhaps the secret of the great success of this domain's wine. The result is a deep, intense wine with layers of flavors, ranging from cooked plums and dark berry fruits to chocolate and spice. The finish is long, lingering and clean.

Collioure

This dry red wine is made from a blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan. Small yields and old vines bring out the essence of these varietals while aging in oak casks adds roundness to the wines. The bouquet is immediately attractive, like a bowl of freshly crushed raspberries. The palate is very concentrated berry fruit with a velvety texture due to the ripe, mature tannins. A deep, complex wine.