Domaine Lafage Nicolas 2024

Domaine Lafage, run by Jean-Marc and Eliane Lafage, made this organic Garnacha as a wine for their son Nicolas. The fruit comes from old vines in the Aspres and the upper Agly valley, at the foothills of the Pyrenees in Roussillon. The soils here are schist and marble, poor and free draining, which restricts yields and concentrates the berries, while the old vines push deep roots and deliver flavour over volume. The warm, sunny Roussillon climate ripens Garnacha to full maturity, and the wine carries fifteen percent as a result. After fermentation it ages ten months in French oak, enough to round the tannins and add a light spice and structure without masking the fruit. In the glass it is deep and bright, with fresh blackberry and juicy black plum on the nose, lifted by garrigue herbs, pepper and a stony, earthy note from the schist. The palate is full and supple, generous in fruit with a savoury, mineral finish. Serve at sixteen to eighteen degrees; it pairs well with grilled and roasted meats.