Camí del Drac
The path of the dragon
Between the land and the sea - Roussillon, a wild and raw region with a remarkable history embedded in its landscape. Sat within a natural amphitheatre open to the Mediterranean to the east and bordered by three mountain ranges: the Corbières to the north, the Pyrénées and Mount Canigou to the west, and the Albères to the south.
The three rivers running west to east through the plains being the; Agly, Têt and Tech, also bring reason for the geological complexity and the range of terrain /altitudes and micro-climates within the relatively small area.
It takes less than an hour to travel from our highest, wildest vineyards at the very back of the region, nestled up in the mountains, to the narrow terraces perched on cliff faces with the sea directly below in Collioure. And all the places in between; Caramany, Tarerach, Lesquerde and Maury all offer something different.
This NEW range embodies the spirit of the place and the people who have journeyed through its gorges and valleys leaving stories and folktales behind.
Camí del Drac (the path of the dragon) celebrates one such story. The dragon, said to have lived in the region, now immortalised in a natural rock formation atop the Crête de Serrabonne...
Camí del Drac
grenache / roussanne
Côtes catalanes IGP
The trellised old vines for both varieties are rooted in Baixas, north-west of Perpignan and sit at an altitude of 50m on the red earth (clay and limestone) terrasses alongside the Têt river.
Grapes are picked at night, mid-August, and transported to the cellars where they are gently pressed and vinified separately.
All the first pressed juice is cleared, by cold temperature settling. The fermentations are carried out in stainless steel vats with temperatures controlled between 15 and 18°C. After 10 days of fermentation, the wines are racked and left on fine lees, without malolactic fermentation. The wine is blended between September and January and bottled in spring.
70% Grenache Blanc 30% Roussanne
No oak ageing
"Complex, floral and elegant. A combination of terroirs and varieties. Ripe stone fruit flavoured Grenache alongside the acacia floral notes of Roussanne. The balance is perfect between fruit, minerality and garrigue influences."
Fergal Tynan MW
Camí del Drac
carignan blanc
VIN DE FRANCE
The Carignan Blanc vineyard is planted in the village of Tarerach at an altitude of 550m on granitic sand soils. Rooted between the high peaks of the Pyrénnées and the flats of the Vallée de la Têt that meet the sea. The specific block of old vines are not far from the Dragon Roc, the natural rock formation atop the Crête de Serrabonne.
Grapes are hand-picked but late harvest (second half of September), a month more than the other whites of the Roussillon.
A very long and slow fermentation takes place, at 18 to 20°C. Lengthy lees contact follows and after the malolactic fermentation completes the wine is bottled unfined. No oak ageing.
"Expressive, floral and vibrant. Citrus fruit flavours combine with a subtle herbal twist and minerality through to the finish."
Emmanuel Cazes / Winemaker
Camí del Drac
CARIGNAN NOIR
CÔTES CATALANES IGP
The trellised old vines are rooted in Baixas, north-west of Perpignan and sit at an altitude of 50m, on the red earth (clay and limestone) terraces alongside the Têt river.
The bulk of the grapes are hand-picked and transferred to cellars where whole bunch carbonic maceration takes place. This type of maceration is well suited to Carignan Noir to deliver full fruit flavours but with a well balanced structure.
A percentage of the Carignan Noir is fermented using traditional maceration for 10 days. We press very gently and use the first pressed wine. The malolactic fermentation is completed and the wine blended in January, before being fined and stabilised to be bottled in spring.
No oak ageing.
"Expressive, aromatic and rounded. Ripe black fruits combine with red fruit and a touch of savoury smokiness through to the finish."
Emmanuel Cazes / Winemaker
Camí del Drac Carignan Noir 2022
BEST ROUSSILLON WINES 2024 - Runner Up
UK wine writers picked Roussillon wines that made their heart skip a beat - stand out wines from famous styles and appellations that have built the Roussillon region's reputation.
“As a whole, these wines provide a snapshot of what the Roussillon is capable of and shows why our wine region is France’s best kept secret.”
Wines of Roussillon
Maison d'Alliance, 1870 Avenue Julien Panchot, 66000 Perpignan, France
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