After a short stop in Alsace, we headed towards the Pyrenees to hike and climb in the mountains. Along the way, we stopped near Avignon. Unfortunately it was Sunday and most wineries in the Rhone Valley were closed. We couldn’t stock up for the rest of our trip! I feverishly searched through the obligatory copy of the World Atlas of Wine that I had brought along. To my disappointment it seemed that in the Languedoc-Roussillon region, mostly white or at best rosé wines were available. I had already given up the hope of buying some punchier characterful red wines. Suddenly, 5 km before our destination, Prades, on the French-Spanish border already quite high in the mountains, we passed a sign for “Cave du Mas Llossanes“. This vineyard didn’t appear in my research, but a quick visit to Vivino gave us a green light. So, we decided to stop by for a moment and see what we could learn about the wines in this corner of France. In the end, we spent over an hour there, talking to the incredibly nice owner of the winery, Solenn. Solenn let us try most of the wines she produces with her husband, Dominique.
Solenn and Dominique spent many years working together for a large wine producer in Tuscany. Dominique was responsible for wine growing and production, while Solenn worked as a sommelier. Her sommelier skills were evident in how she treated her customers. A nice surprise was that she spoke very good English. Since we were the only guests in the shop, she started talking to us almost immediately. After gauging our interest she recommended a couple of bottles. However, when she noticed how excited we were getting, she walked us through most of the wines on offer (including a one that was no longer available – apparently it had been sold out at a local fair a couple of days earlier). After the tasting, she couldn’t resist adding one extra bottle to our order (“I don’t like leaving an empty space in the box,” she said) and signing me up for the newsletter. All of this was done very skillfully and didn’t feel forced.
The wines themselves were very good. And interestingly, mostly red. Of course, we had to ask: “How come?”. My haphazard study of classic wine texts suggested that this shouldn’t be the case in this part of the world. However, everything was explained by altitude! The vineyard is located at an altitude of 600-700 metres above sea level, making it one of the highly situated vineyards in France. This means that despite the Mediterranean climate along the whole coast, the influence of the Pyrenees and altitude reduces the temperatures to which the grapes are exposed. This makes it quite well suited for the cultivation of red wine grapes.
Mas Llossanes, located deep in the Pyrenees, is still a fairly young business, established only 8 years ago. But even now, I envision a long and exciting future ahead of them, considering the owners’ previous experiences and the quality of their wine. The couple champions the methods of production that stay in harmony with the local climate, avoiding chemical interventions. The wines are certified organic and the crops are grown according to biodynamic principles. The addition of sulfites is minimised and only naturally occurring yeasts are used for fermentation. The Carignan variety plays a leading role, accompanied by Grenache, Syrah, Chenanson, Cinsault, and Chasan. Now, let’s discuss what I was so impressed with!
We started with a Rosé made exclusively from Carignan. As Solenn explained to us, the Rosé from Mas Llossanes was created to challenge the stereotype of Rosé from Roussillon. The wine was fresh and pleasant on the nose, but it didn’t make me think of strawberries by the pool. This rosé was closer to an aperitif – it definitely stimulated the salivary glands to work. It was pretty dry and quite acidic. I tasted blood orange, rose, and citrus on the palate. I imagine that it would pair very well with food.
Next was the 2021 Court Métrage, made mostly from Carignan. This wine is supposed to be light, fruity and easygoing. Exclusively stainless steel tanks are used in its production. The naked cork, without the typical cover, makes it more quirky. When I tried it, I was first met with aromas of strawberries and blackcurrant. The taste of red fruits such as strawberries, raspberries or red currants dominated, notwithstanding noticeable and pleasant acidity.
Then we tried the 2018 Au Dolmen. It’s a blend of Carignan, Syrah, and Grenache. The wine is only made in stainless steel tanks, but thanks to the addition of Syrah and Grenache, it has a much more complex character. Solenn recommends having this wine with food to balance its power. However, with the first sip, I already decided that I’d rather enjoy it on its own while contemplating some mountain views. Au Dolmen has fairly strong tannins, but they’re quite elegant. On the palate, blackcurrant comes through, along with some spices and pepper. Our hostess told us the origin of the name, which corresponds to the local prehistoric, stone structure, a mini “Stonehenge”.
Dotrera, also from 2018, is a more complex expression of the same grape varieties as Au Dolmen. The difference is that the grapes come from older vines, and the wine is aged in used oak barrels. The wine is layered, with strong tannins. Overall, it’s much more powerful. Flavours of dried plum, blueberries, and blackberries dominate. Menthol and oriental spice notes are also interesting. It’ll certainly pair very well with strong flavours such as red meat. Although, as with Au Dolmen, I really liked it on its own. The wine was still quite young considering its method of production and the grape varieties used, so I’m very curious to see how it’ll present itself in 5 or 10 years.
Finally, we tasted the Pur Syrah – the sold out bottle. As the name suggests, it’s 100% Syrah from 2020. The wine ages in oak barrels. It was definitely too young to drink at this point; the tannins were still quite green and rough. Nevertheless, it showed very promising signs. It seems that this will be a very good expression of the grape and the result would differ completely from the blends we had tried before. Unfortunately, this bottle costs 45 €, almost twice as much as Dotrera. This time, I decided against it and opted for more immediate gratification with the other wines instead of investing in the future. Maybe next time!
No doubt, my completely unplanned visit to Mas Llossanes was a success. Somehow, the car visibly sank down after I loaded all the shopping into the boot. I bought wines not only for the remainder of our holidays but also to take home and as gifts for those friends who appreciate a good bottle of wine! My only regret is that I didn’t stock up more… Recently, a few months after the visit, I checked the winery’s website. It seems that they have launched an online shop since then. If the shipping costs won’t crush me, I hope to quickly remedy my mistake!
Mas Llossanes vineyard: http:/http://masllossanes.fr/.
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