Winemaker Notes
A joint venture between Eric Solomon and Jean-Marc Lafage, Tessellae old vines is assembled from vineyards on schist that Jean-Marc Lafage farms near Maury in the Agly valley. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, it is harvested by hand, fermented for a month after a short pre-fermentation maceration, and aged entirely in concrete tanks.
Blend: 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Mourvèdre
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A tank-aged blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Mourvèdre, the medium to full-bodied 2019 Tessellae Old Vines is dominated by bright, mouthwatering fruit: from raspberries to blueberries, with touches of blackberries swirled in, and just enough black olives and soft tannins on the finish to leave behind a dry, savory impression. Drink it over the next several years.
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.
Although it is a region predominantly recognized for fortified, vins doux naturels (a type of sweet wine), Roussillon is also ideal for the production of dry red, white and rose wines. To encompass all the dry wines from the surrounding region that are not the vins doux naturels of Banyuls, Maury and Rivesaltes, the appellation of Côtes du Roussillon was created in 1977. It covers the eastern half of the Pyrénées-Orientales (the eastern side of the Pyrenees Mountains) and lower lands of Roussillon. Côtes du Roussillon includes complex soils of schist, limestone, gneiss and granite and climatic conditions that support many grape varieties.
Côtes du Roussillon red wines are blends made from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and smaller amounts of Carignan, Cinsault and the lesser known, Lledoner Pelut. Rosé wines come from the same varieties, as well as may include Grenache Gris and Macabeo. White wines from Côtes du Roussillon are Grenache Blanc and Macabeo with small amounts of Marsanne, Roussanne and Rolle (aka Vermentino).