Roc des Anges: Hard Work Pays Off in the Roussillon
A trip we took to the Côtes Catalanes in the summer of 2018 is one we’ve been reminiscing about a lot lately. Stuck inside for a second New York winter, we’re pining for just one day under a cloudless sky, walking ancient vineyards tucked between chalk-white limestone peaks and an azure-blue Mediterranean Sea.
Roussillon’s fortified wines, once the stuff of kings, are still prized here. But internationally, their star has waned, and so has the region’s reputation as a whole. But it is precisely this state of affairs that has it positioned to be the next “it” region of France.
All but the 1% have been priced out of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne, and plenty of vineyards elsewhere are following suit. But there's hope for the rest of us. But lands like the Roussillon offer hope for the rest of us. Around the world, there are regions with old vines, perfect growing conditions, indigenous varieties and rock bottom land prices. They're attracting a slew of talented, industrious upstarts from around the globe, talents like Marjorie and Stephane Gallet.
Marjorie and Stephane came to wine through passion, not inheritance. Finding a place to put down their own roots wasn’t difficult, but when the opportunity arose to acquire a beautiful vineyard under those clear blue skies, a site with a white band of quartz flashing up between steep, schist slopes – a site that gave them the name, Roc des Anges, the decision was easy.
While it will probably be some time before you can visit the Roussillon and enjoy that magical walk yourself, you can at least get a taste of it this winter thanks to the lovely, 2018 Segna de Cor. Click through below to add it to grab your bottles before we sell out.