“I would not hesitate to buy either again, as both deliver great bang
for relatively few bucks.”

Click image to enlarge.

Last week, our old Gang of Pour partner-in-crime Alan Kerr (aka Canadian Zinfan) came to visit, so I picked up a few bottles of wine for us all to try together. It was not my intention to purchase selections from the same region, but that’s what we found ourselves with when we uncorked these two, one a rosé, and the other, a hearty red. Côtes Catalanes is located in the Roussillon region of southwestern France, and as it turned out, both are quite pleasing to the palate.

The rosé was recommended to me by my friend Michael Korn, a longtime sales rep for Woodberry Wine here in southeastern Michigan. Michael put this bottle directly into my hands at Holiday Market in Royal Oak, so I brought one home, where it sat patiently until we were ready to give it a go. Michael has never steered me wrong with anything from the portfolio he represents, and he was spot on with this one as well.

2022 Penya Cotes Catalanes Rosé, 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 13% alc., $11.99: Pale orange pink, and appealingly aromatic, more so than many a rosé we’ve had lately. Everything about this is pleasing, making for some great QPR. Rich, but not ripe, with a solid core of strawberry and watermelon, underscored with a nice vein of minerality. Medium bodied, with racy but balanced acids, and finishing with good length. Find this wine

Cases de Pene is a tiny village in the Roussillon region of Southern France, just 30 miles north of Spain. Ceded to France in the mid 17th century, the area is still known as “French Catalonia”. We celebrate this heritage with the Catalan spelling of this wine produced in the ancient Château and village Cooperative: “Penya”.

Imported by Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA

The second wine, a red, was recommended by a local retailer, who sells it for $17.99, but I found it at our friendly neighborhood Costco for 3 dollars less, so that’s where I procured this bottle.

Click image to enlarge.

2019 Domaine Lafage ‘Narassa’ Cotes Catalanes, 82% Grenache, 18% Syrah, 15% alc., $14.99: I played this one old school; I pulled the cork and poured us all a glass, decanter be damned. It’s a dark one all right, in both color and flavor profile, a strapping young thing, all earthy black berries, plums and cherries, with some subtle leathery nuances. Air helps bring the rich fruit out from underneath the substantial youthful tannins, so while it certainly gives pleasure already, I’m betting that 2-5 years in the cellar will soften those tannins and show even more elements to the flavor profile. As previously mentioned, I’ve seen this elsewhere in the area priced at $17.99, and that’s probably a fair price for what’s in the bottle, but at $14.99, this is a really good value. Find this wine

If it weren’t for a harvesting error a few years ago when a plot of Grenache named Narassa was accidentally missed at harvest, this cuvée would never have been conceived. Despite having reached a level of over-ripeness, Jean-Marc coaxed the fermentation along and discovered that while rich and decadent, the wine also maintained a juicy freshness. Now Narassa is made intentionally in a semi-ripasso style by harvesting Grenache (70%) from Maury in several passes choosing only the ripest clusters, and combining it with Syrah (30%) from their highest vineyard site at 540m, which always ripens late in the season at only 12.5% potential alcohol. Upon arriving at the cellar, the fruit is destemmed and only the best berries are chosen for fermentation after a short pre-fermentation maceration.

Imported by European Cellars, LLC, Charlotte, NC

I’ve now tasted each of these country wines on two occasions, with consistent impressions each time. I would not hesitate to buy either again, as both deliver great bang for relatively few bucks. I’ll also be keeping an eye out for more selections from Cotes Catalanes, since these two have proven to be such excellent “ambassadors” from the region. Stay tuned!

Reporting from Day-twah,
Bastardo

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