Winemaker Notes
The color is deep and brilliant with light brown reflections. Intensely fruity nose with aromas of red fruits and raspberries that linger on complex and spicy notes. A beautiful attack on the palate with supple tannins and notes of garrigue and spices.
Ideal with grilled peppers, pork with caramel or rabbit with prunes and matured cheeses.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of Grenache, Carignan and Syrah, the 2020 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Tautavel An 560 features appealing raspberry and cherry aromas, even some delicate rose and strawberry notes. It's soaked, but not over-oaked, full-bodied, supple and a bit creamy textured in the mouth, finishing long and lush.
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Wine Spectator
A juicy red, offering mulled cherry and fig flavors, with sweet baking spice and black pepper accents. Lush on the palate, with a spine of graphite giving shape and cleaning up the finish. Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. Drink now. 35,000 cases made, 12,000 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.
Of the five Côtes du Roussillon Villages appellations, Tautavel (recognized since 1997) sits farthest east, on the last granite outcropping before the land slopes to the Mediterranean Sea. The infertile soils here force vine roots to dig deep for water and nutrients, which creates wines with more complexity. Tautavel’s superior quality red wines are blends traditionally based on Carignan, but today tend to include more Grenache and Syrah. The minor variety, Lledor Pelut (a variant of Grenache) is also allowed.
Côtes du Roussillon-Tautavel claims a warm Mediterranean climate but its slight altitude (650 ft) keeps it cooler and drier than the plains.