2021 Les Vins du Cabanon 'Canta Manana'

Place: Roussillon, France

Variety: Syrah, Merlot, Macabeu, Carignan Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Muscat d'Alexandrie

Farming: Organic

Alain Castex is widely considered the uncompromising and meticulous 'Godfather' of natural winemaking in French Catalunya, having mentored so many now terrific vignerons in his time.

He now works with his one hectare vineyard ‘Le Vins du Cabanon' where he continues his passion of farming organically and making wines of true purity. He makes small amounts of four wines under the same name as the vineyard, which is grown in Trouillas, just inland from Banyuls and south of Perpignan. Here the soils are a stunning mix of sand and clay and Alain manages to express this alongside the saline kiss of the nearby Mediterranean Sea. The vineyard is a mix of Grenache Blanc, Gris, Noir, Macabeu, Carignan, Mourvedre, Merlot and Syrah.

A juice saignée from the first 2-3 days of maceration of the wine Ezo (syrah, merlot) is poured over the skins of the grapes that go into Tir a Blanc (macabeu, carignan blanc, grenache blanc, bourboulenc, clairette, muscat d'Alexandrie). A unique rose'.