COUME DEL MAS
Collioure & Banyuls
“Coume Del Mas delivers a level of precision and elegance one wouldn’t normally associate with this wild southwest corner of the French coast. Their wines exemplify the terrific quality of still, dry wines emerging from a region previously associated with sweet, fortified ones.”
Coume del Mas was founded in 2001 by Philippe and Nathalie Gard, modern viticultural pioneers at the southernmost Mediterranean tip of Roussillon – and of France itself. A graduate of France’s most prestigious schools of Enology and Agronomy, Philippe Gard has become a legendary figure in this rugged, windswept region. Their 15 hectares of old vines are rooted around Banyuls-sur-Mer and Collioure, where viticulture is an act of devotion. Every task is done by hand on steep, schistous slopes buffeted by the Tramontane wind, with yields as low as 15 hL/ha.
Named after a historic lieu-dit celebrated for its exceptional terroir, Coume del Mas produces wines of striking freshness, depth, and minerality. Each year, France’s leading sommeliers make the pilgrimage to taste with Philippe and secure their allocations long before the wines are even bottled.
From finely chiseled dry Collioure wines to traditional Vin Doux Naturel – crafted in both oxidative and modern rimage styles – Philippe Gard’s work captures the purest expression of this ancient Catalan landscape.
COUME DEL MAS & TRAMONTANE - BANYULS
Banyuls is a fortified sweet wine (Vin Doux Naturel) crafted primarily from Grenache Noir and Grenache Blanc. Grenache Noir is the dominant grape and must comprise at least 50% of the blend for red Banyuls (and 75% for the Grand Cru wines). Other permitted varieties include Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Macabeu, Muscat, and Malvoisie.
The rarer Banyuls Blanc is made chiefly from Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, often complemented by Macabeu.
Production follows the traditional technique of mutage, in which neutral grape spirit is added during fermentation to halt the conversion of sugars into alcohol. This preserves part of the grape’s natural sweetness and gives Banyuls both its luscious character and remarkable ability to age.
After fortification, the wines mature in a variety of vessels—tanks, oak barrels, or even glass jars exposed to the sun for the celebrated rancio cuvées. This controlled oxidation develops complex notes of dried fruits, nuts, and spice, along with a rich, silky texture.
Depending on the style, aging can last from a few years to several decades, creating wines of extraordinary depth and character. These Mediterranean treasures are best enjoyed lightly chilled, pairing beautifully with red meats, ripe fruits, desserts, and cheeses.
THE WINES
Coume del Mas Collioure AOP Blanc ‘Folio’
90% Grenache Gris and 10% Grenache Blanc from schist soils, 'Folio' is fermented with indigenous yeasts and ages on its lees for six months in barrel. The wine is simultaneously rich, fresh, vibrant and elegant. An umami delight, with wild herb and blossom coupled with lemon cream and medium-weighted with peach fruit. This is one of southern France’s benchmark white wines. For lovers of textural whites. Burgundy drinkers take heed.
"Sourced from 32 different parcels across the entire estate, an absolute classic Collioure Blanc from this excellent estate. Owner Philippe Gard says that Grenache Gris does not support mediocrity and you can understand that from this cuvée. Very low yields 14h/ha, wild yeast ferment in barrel and aged for 7 months there is so much purity, elegance and class on show." 93 points - Matt Stubbs MW & Tim Atkin MW, Languedoc Report.
Coume del Mas Collioure AOP Rouge ‘Schistes’
100% Grenache Noir from 30-80 year old vines scaterred across about 30 different parcels of coastal leaning sites. The fruit from exceptionally low yielding vines is hand-sorted, de-stemmed, and wild fermented in stainless steel with 3-4 weeks maceration plus six months ageing in tank. The result is a medium-bodied, deeply pure wine loaded with pristine dark fruit, cherry liqueur, and inherent freshness that makes it a sensational glass of red. Definitive Mediterranean Grenache.
“…An abundance of red cherry, grenadine and wild strawberry, fine grained tannins and a touch of iodine on the finish. A very fresh, yet complex and unoaked sea breeze style of Collioure.” 93 points - Matt Stubbs MW & Tim Atkin MW, Languedoc Report.
Coume del Mas Collioure AOP Rouge ‘Quadratur’
One of the pinnacles of Catalan red wine, ‘Quadratur’ is a gorgeously pure blend of ancient – 100+ year old – vine Grenache (50%), Mourvèdre (30%) and Carignan (20%). The fruit is from three different vineyards: Coume del Mas, La Salette and Marguerite, all positioned at altitude away from the coast and deliver ridiculously low yields. Spontaneous fermentation, 4-6 weeks maceration and barrel aging for 12-14 months. Altitude, grey schist soils and Phillipe’s mastery in the cellar render wines simultaneously rich and freshly elegant.
One of the pinnacles of Catalan red wine.
“Alluring and seductive aromas of crushed blackberries, cured meat and thyme unfold effortlessly onto a bold palate that brings a whack of flavour. At once both savoury and sweet, herbal and fruited, it evokes a sense of place, of rugged wild landscapes. The umani, meaty side to the wine softens with air and the drinker is enveloped by fresh juicy peppery plums, blueberries and salty blackberries. It's brought to a haunting close with a lick of salty minerality and fine-grained tannins. A soulful wine.” - Natalie Earl, Decanter.
Coume del Mas Collioure AOP Rouge (Syrah, Grenache) ‘Abysses’
60% Syrah, 40% Grenache from a multitude of scattered vineyards with vines 30-70 years old. Spontaneous ferment with 3-4 weeks maceration and ageing in barriques – 50% new – for 14 months. 1000 bottles.
“Philippe Gard and Andy Cook make a formidable team and this top cuvée of their Collioure is a symphony of pure black cherry and wild strawberry fruits, spice, wild herbs and minerals. Sourced from 2 east facing lieu-dits at 200 metres altitude in a different valley to Coume del Mas it has incredible tight structure, gorgeous acidity and intense purity. Only made in the best years.” 95 points - Matt Stubbs MW & Tim Atkin MW, Languedoc Report.
Coume del Mas Consolation Côtes du Roussillon Syrah ‘Wild Boar’
‘Consolation’ was created between the team at Coume del Mas and Julien Gril to feature micro-cuvees dedicated to understanding and expressing high quality schist sites in the zone of Alberes (a lieu-dit tucked behind Collioure). ‘Wild Boar’ is tank-fermented Syrah, showing sleek dark fruits, lifted notes of cracked black pepper, charcuterie and wild Mediterranean herbs. Rich and elegant, it spends 12 months in 400 litre casks.
THE FORTIFIEDS
Coume del Mas Banyuls AOP Blanc ‘Escoumes’ (500ml)
In the words of Andy Cook, “think of it like a fortified Folio”. This rarity is a blend of 80% Grenache Blanc and 20% Grenache Gris from 30 year old vines in the south-facing Escoumes vineyard. Spontaneous fermentation and mutage (fortification) in barrel. Aged for 4 months in barrel.
Banyuls Blanc is a very rare style and we are lucky to get a small allocation of the very best. Philippe’s skill is on show here rendering a complex fortified white wine in a fresh, fruit driven way. This delight has it all: quince, ginger and roasted nuts, as well as lemon curd, grapefruit, plump peach and kiwi fruit. On the palate it is creamy, bright, balanced and flavourful. Top work from this benchmark producer.
NV Tramontane Banyuls Rouge ‘Tradition’ (750ml)
After selling out of the Coume del Mas Banyuls Tradition, Philippe and Andy road tripped around the region tasting old barrels Banyuls wines and buying their favourites. As a result this cuvée has older material than the Coume del Mas version (which they are in the process of rebuilding). As it is not from estate fruit it has been bottled under the Tramontane label. Non vintage and oxidatively aged in various sized barrels, this is a complex, silky wine of great character. Serve lightly chilled with cheese, fruit and desserts, or add to darker cocktails for depth and complexity.
"There is a lot going on here in this oxidative style of Banyuls. Dried figs, dates, kirsch and notes of caramel and dark chocolate combine with fine elegance and persistence. Tannins have fully integrated after 5 years in oak foudres and finishes with a fine medicinal finish." 93 points - Matt Stubbs MW & Tim Atkin MW, Languedoc Report.
Coume del Mas Banyuls Rouge ‘Galateo’ (500ml)
‘Galateo’ is 100% old vine Grenache Noir fortified on skins – a key procedure that helps extraction of colour, tannin and prevents oxidation. The fruit is hand-picked, double sorted, destemmed and chilled down pre-fermentation for a short maceration. Fermentation is done by ambient yeast and the wine tends to stay on the skins for 5–10 days after fortification. The wine then spends six months in 225-litre barrels that are at least two years old yet the oak is very much in the background, functioning to give the wine some oxygen and to allow the tannins to soften and the components to come together. The wine is then aged in this oak for a minimum of six months before bottling. It is a dense, deep wine that is a fascinating match with red meat, or alternatively used as a dessert wine for chocolate, dark fruits or cheese.
"Equivalent of the cuvée Schistes but made as a VDN. Gorgeous fruit, real purity, elegant, lovely balance and weight, great acidity to balance 90g/l residual sugar. Just the right balance of alcohol and sugar. From the interior vineyards not those close to the sea." 93 points - Matt Stubbs MW & Tim Atkin MW, Languedoc Report.
“Coume del Mas ‘Galateo’ Banyuls is youthful, packed with smoky dark fruit and even though it is sweet, it somehow tastes much drier than it is. Underlying power is tempered by elegant restraint, the tannins are compact yet extremely fine, like layer upon layer of tissue paper, and there’s freshness, beautiful balance and persistence.” 17.5 points - Julia Harding MW (Jancis Robinson)
Coume del Mas Banyuls Grand Cru AOP Vin doux Naturel ‘Hors d’Âge’ (750ml)
One of the definitive wines of Banyuls and part of a limited series – In the 25 years of Coume del Mas there have been only five releases. Every year, Philippe places one, two, or three barrels of the more powerful Banyuls wines in the winery’s attic for oxidative ageing. Generally 300-litre barrels, they are never topped up, allowing natural evaporation to concentrate the wine’s character. Each year, the wines are tasted to see whether they’ve reached a point of exceptional expression. The “Hors d’Âge” designation is used when the wine is a blend of several vintages; if it comes from a single year, it is released as “Grand Cru” with the vintage stated on the label.
This particular bottling comes from one barrel of 2009 and one barrel of 2011. Bottled on November 29, 2024. 300 bottles.
100% Grenache Noir from lower, warmer vineyard sites with vines aged between 45 - 75 years. Spontaneous ferment with 2-3 weeks maceration. Aged oxidatively without topping up.
“Philippe Gard’s idea for Banyuls Grand Cru is that it should only be declared when exceptional and not made every year. This is an outstanding, hugely complex wine with layers of liquorice, cinnamon, clove, dates and dried figs. Huge concentration yet supreme balance with melted tannins and a very long, walnut and caramel finish. 13 years in barrel with no topping up has produced this extraordinary wine.” 96 points - Matt Stubbs MW & Tim Atkin MW, Languedoc Report.
FURTHER READING
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