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 created in 2001 by Philippe and Nathalie Gard, modern pioneers of the southernmost tip of Roussillon, and of France. Philippe Gard is a legendary figure and a graduate of both of France’s most esteemed Enology and Agronomy schools. Their 15 hectare holdings are composed of gnarly old vines centred around Banyuls-sur-Mer and Collioure. Viticulture in this extreme environment is almost entirely done by hand, working ancient, wind-swept vineyards that hug steep schist slopes – with yields as brutally low as 15 h/ha! Coume del Mas is named after a lieu-dit that is famed for hosting the finest growing sites in the region. With wines of remarkable freshness and minerality, Philippe’s work is coveted by France’s top sommeliers who make an annual trip to taste with him and reserve a year’s worth of wine before it is even finished. His bottles illustrate this ancient Catalan terroir through dry wines of elegant concentration and via traditional Vin doux naturel (sweet wines) of both oxidative and modern ‘rimage’ styles.
COUME DEL MAS & TRAMONTANE - BANYULS
Banyuls is a fortified sweet wine (Vin Doux Naturel) made primarily of Grenache Noir and/or Grenache Blanc. Grenache Noir is the most common variety in Banyuls and has to be 50% of the blend for red Banyuls (75% for the Grand Cru wines). Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Macabeu, Muscat and Malvoisie can also be used. Rare Banyuls Blanc wines are predominantly made from Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris, often with some Macabeu. Banyuls wines are crafted using a technique called mutage. This method involves adding neutral alcohol during fermentation to halt the conversion of sugars into alcohol. This preserves some of the grape’s natural sugars, giving the wine its characteristic sweetness – and the protection to age exposed to heat, oxygen and sometimes sunlight. The resulting wines are aged in tanks, oak barrels, or glass jars left to bask in the sun for the famous rancio cuvées. This controlled oxidation process imparts flavours of dried fruits and nuts to the wine. Aging can last from a few years to several decades, enriching the wine with wonderful complexity and a silky texture.
These are Mediterranean treasures to drink lightly chilled and with red meat, fruits, dessert and cheese.
THE WINES
Coume del Mas ‘Folio’ Collioure AOP Blanc
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, clean, 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 and simply unmissable. White 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 ‘Schistes’ Collioure AOP Rouge
100% old vine Grenache Noir from about 30 different parcels, this is definitive Meditterranean Grenache. The fruit from exceptionally low yielding coastal vines is hand-sorted, destemmed, and fermented in stainless steel with nine months in tank. The result is a medium-bodied, deeply pure wine of pristine dark fruit, cherry liqueur, and that inherent freshness that makes it a sensational glass of red.
“…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 ‘Quadratur’ Collioure AOP Rouge
One of the pinnacles of Catalan red wine. ‘Quadratur’ is a jaw-dropping, gorgeously pure blend of ancient (100+ year old) vine Grenache (50%), Mourvèdre and Carignan. Ageing takes place in barrel for 12-14 months. Sun-baked, grey schist soils are the key here, rendering wines simultaneously rich and freshly elegant. Ridiculously low yields mean there is not much of this marvellous red available.
“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.
THE FORTIFIEDS
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 ‘Galateo’ Banyuls Rouge (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)
FURTHER READING
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