Serrat de la Plane, Côtes des Catalanes 2018

Wine Tasting Notes for Serrat de la Plane Côtes des Catalanes 2018 by Georg Meissner

Colour & Appearance

Muted garnet red, lightening towards the rim with delicate mahogany tones. Viscous and dense, it coats the glass with thick legs.

Nose

A profound interplay of aromas: sweet black cherries and dark plum jam meet candied black olives, rosemary and liquorice. Nuances of cedarwood, tobacco and frankincense provide complexity, whilst a subtle hint of green bell pepper brings freshness.

Palate

Fleshy, juicy and brimming with natural tension. The tannins offer a firm grip, supporting the succulent fruit, and are carried by an invigorating acidity. At a moderate 13.0% ABV, the Grenache shows a surprisingly cool character without losing any of its Mediterranean richness.

Terroir & Origin

Grown on the Serrat de la Plane, a “stony high plateau” in the south-western Roussillon near the Spanish border. The soil consists of extremely dry weathered gneiss rock. Unlike sheltered sites, this high plateau is constantly exposed to cool winds, which endows the grapes with a striking freshness despite the heat. Yields from the ancient Grenache vines are extremely low, at just 9 hl/ha.

Grape Variety & Vinification

Single-varietal Grenache from historic vines saved from grubbing up by Dr Georg Meissner (lecturer at Geisenheim University and expert at respekt-BIODYN) together with Flo Busch. The wine is vinified dry.

Food Pairings

Pairs superbly with rich, savoury dishes such as braised leg of beef on root vegetables with a red wine and garlic jus, an aromatic lamb tagine with dates and olives, or piquant ewe’s milk cheese with rosemary, sun-dried black olives and tomatoes.

Key Features

A fascinating stand-out Grenache: the combination of minuscule yields from ancient vines and constant cooling winds gives this Roussillon red a noble freshness and cool minerality rarely encountered in this region.