More about Danjou-Banessy

Domaine Danjou-Banessy is located in the Côtes Catalanes, a corner of France's Roussillon area that even the most ardent wine lovers may not be familiar with. There are many examples of great wines from France’s southern reaches, but the combination of elegance, balance, and sheer deliciousness to be found in Danjou-Banessy’s wines is simply otherworldly.

Recently I was lucky enough to taste the estate’s lineup,, and while I’ve known and liked the wines for years now, I found myself deeply impressed anew. They’re brought stateside by none other than Becky Wasserman, a boutique importer known for an impressive roster of Burgundy’s best. These wines aren't from Burgundy, but they deserve the same kind of attention lavished upon that region's top vineyards.

Brothers Sébastien and Benoît Danjou inherited the estate from their grandfather, who produced mainly vins doux naturels, sweet fortified wines typical to the region. He taught the pair everything he knew about viticulture and winemaking; to this day, the brothers employ techniques many would consider antiquated, but they’d rather work with their hands, anyway. After all, machines rarely work faster and better than a well-trained human worker. Sébastien told the group, “We are the last of the Mohicans in our region — nobody does this anymore”, referring to the intense, hands-on approach chez Danjou.

Just 45 minutes away from the Spanish border, it’s no surprise that many of the grape varieties grown here are also found in northern Spain; the estate’s vineyards are planted to Macabeo, Mourvèdre, Muscat, Carignan, and Grenache (including 3 different colors of the last two). Vines grow on diverse soil types, ranging from black schist and slate (see above) to clay-limestone to “poudingue”.

This far south, the biggest challenge is mitigating the sun’s effects. They’ve planted native trees all over the property for shade. The vines aren’t trellised, but are left as small bushes, close to the ground and covered by a leafy canopy to minimize sunburn. Their secret weapon for dealing with hot vintages? Old vines, which don’t suffer from heat the same way young vines do (though young and old both suffer from drought, which is all too common these days). Sébastien relayed that in 2023, their home village received half as much rainfall as the Sahel Desert.

Harvest begins in early- to mid-August; because the brothers believe that a wine is 90% made in the vineyard, the winemaking is kept “biblically simple”, but incredibly thoughtful. All fermentations are with native yeasts, and sulfur is used judiciously. Each variety receives tailored treatment: reductive Mourvèdre ages in small (old) barrels while oxidative Grenache ages in large (old) barrels to reduce contact with oxygen.

It can’t be overstated how fantastic these wines are, and how expertly Sébastien and Benoît maintain the balance between Mediterranean sun and cool freshness.