Winemaker Notes
The nose is dominated by lots of pure blackberry, crushed herbs, earth and peppery characteristics. The mouth is full bodied, very rich with soft and fine tannins. The finish is fresh with a surprising elegance.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of Grenache and Syrah, generally in about a 4:1 ratio, the 2020 IGP Cotes Catalanes Narassa features appealing, complex aromas of violets and plummy fruit, reminiscent of blackberries and blueberries. Picked as two separate harvests—one in September and one in November—and then blended, this is full-bodied, richly concentrated and fleshy, with a velvety finish that shows a touch of warmth. It's winter-weight wine, for sure.
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Wine Spectator
A hedonistic, robust style, with a cascade of blackberry and cassis lined with spices, dusty earth and lashings of sweet vanilla and oak. This is stitched together by soft tannins as it glides through the smoke-tinged finish. Harmonious and mouthfilling. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now. 5,000 cases made, 4,000 cases imported.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Defined by the rugged eastern edge of the Pyrenees Mountains and near-constant sunshine, Roussillon is a region rich in Spanish history and influence. In fact, the Roussillon people mainly identify with being Catalan rather than French or Occitan.
Roussillon has been a culture of viticulture since the 7th century BC and not surprisingly, highly influenced by Spain in their winemaking techniques and wine styles. Furthermore, the arid, exposed, steep and uneven valleys of this so-called Pyrénées-Orientales zone, guarantee that grape yields are low and berries are small and concentrated. The region was quick to adopt a specific fortification process (locally called mutage), introduced by a Catalan physician in the 13th century. Seen as beneficial to the region’s whites, soon Roussillon also applied the process to the vinification of Grenache. Mutage involves fortifying the grape must (or must and skins together depending on desired effect) with a neutral grape spirit to arrest fermentation, resulting in a slightly sweet, high alcohol (15-18%), but still varietally expressive and aromatically complex wine called, vin doux naturel. Two clones of Muscat and Grenache of various colors are mainly responsible for the excellent vins doux naturels in the notable sub-appellations of Rivesaltes, Banyuls and Maury.
More recently modern winemaking techniques, coupled with a near perfect climate and optimal soils, altitudes and exposures have allowed Roussillon to quickly escalate the quality and popularity of its dry red wines as well, namely those of Maury, Cotes du Roussillon-Villages and Collioure.