Superb Biodynamic Banyuls and Collioure from Domaine du Traginer!

7/6/23 -

 

We're very proud to be working with the witty and affable Jean-Francois Deu at Domaine du Traginer, and we have just received a new shipment of these delicious wines that belong on your table this season. "Banyuls and Banyuls Grand Cru are the appellations for France's finest and certainly most complex vin doux naturel" says says The Oxford Companion to Wine. Our    tasting last winter of the Banyuls from Jean-Francois was fantastic, as usual, and we are glad to have these delightful wines back on our shelves.

M. Deu took over the family estate in 1975, named after his uncle Anicet who was the last mule-driver ("Traginer" in Catalan) in Banyuls. Certified organic since 1997 Jean-François began using Biodynamic methods in 2003 and the estate was certified Biodynamic in 2013 making real, living wines, some without sulfur. And the estate is an active member of the "Renaissance des Appellations" founded by Nicolas Joly - an agriculture closer to nature, respecting the terroir, giving new meaning to the appellations.

Banyuls

The red Banyuls are made with Grenache, Grenache Gris, and Carignan with the traditional method of "mutage" - the fermentation is stopped by addition of alcohol, followed by a long maceration and aging in 100 year-old barrels. The complex and delicious 2016 Banyuls Grand Cru was aged for 6 years. The Banyuls Ambré, made with Grenache, Grenache Gris and Muscat is from a solera dating back to 2000, yielding an astonishingly distinctive, long, and mineral wine. The Banyuls Blanc is aged briefly in stainless steel, giving superb aromas and forward fruit, perfect as aperitifs or with fruit deserts. While we may not share the French way of enjoying a sweet wine as an aperitif or with dessert, the sensational quality of these wines may encourage you to become a bit more French in your habits...

 

Collioure

The great vineyard work at Traginer produces Collioure reds from Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre and Syrah with great complexity of fruit and flavors of earth and minerals balanced by good acidity - real wines of terroir that express the schist soils and sun-baked hills of Collioure. The Traginer Collioure Blanc is simply outstanding. Made from Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Vermentino, the wine shows subtle aromas of stone, white fruits, lime flower, brown spice, and anise, lifted by firm acidity. The palate is dense and very mineral with pear and dried herbs, very long, fresh and stony. Superb wine for a full-flavored fish, shellfish or white meat prparation.

Jean-François Deu at Domaine du Traginer is doing exemplary work both in the vineyard and in the cellar - these unusual, distinctive and delicious wines deserve your attention. (Thanks Amanda)

The wines have arrived in our warehouse and will be available Monday 7/3. Collioure wines discount 10%, Banyuls are net priced.