Dom Brial, Cotes Catalanes, 'Dom Ici' Rouge

A supple and fresh Carignan showing ample notes of wild, dark red fruits and characteristic spice with a touch of juicy raisined fruit. 

Producer Note

Dom Brial is a cooperative of passionate producers who are following in the footsteps of Dom Brial, a Benedictine monk, who was born in Roussillon. Established in 1923, the winery was created with the philosophy of ‘Together We Are Stronger’, in response to the Phylloxera crisis that devastated many vineyards in the Roussillon. Today, the dynamic cooperative represents 247 winegrowers who cultivate the mosaic of diverse terroirs. Pioneers of sustainable development, Dom Brial covers 1,700 hectares which has been certified since 2007 as ‘Sustainable Winegrowing’ and they have been awarded the HVE Level 3 certification. The estate also includes 200 hectares of organically farmed vineyard. Dom Brial is also renowned for its fine wines from Château les Pins, located in the AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages; a 28-hectare estate located in the heart of the village that was bequeathed by one of the growers to the winery. Dom Brial produces a range of traditional wines, which showcase this striking region. 

Vineyard

The Côtes Catalans IGP is located in the Roussillon amphitheatre-shaped topography, which is open to the Mediterranean on one side and surrounded by three mountain ranges: the Corbières to the north, the Pyrenees to the west, and the Albères to the south. In geological terms, Roussillon endured enormous upheavals in the tertiary and quaternary periods, which created a complex variety of soils, subsoils and a multitude of terroirs. The terroir ranges from the Quaternary Terraces with red pebbles resting on shallow soils, on a clay subsoil with low water reserves; Les Arènes- sandy, silty soils from the Tertiary era, and the ‘Terres Rouges’, shallow clay-limestone soils which are iron-rich which are found at higher altitudes, combining cooler mesoclimates and a long ripening period. The Cordon de Royat trained vines are sustainably farmed, pesticides are not employed, trees and crops are replanted, biodiversity programs and wildlife conservation programmes are in place; the entire philosophy is to leave as little negative impact on the earth as possible.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-harvested and vinified with selected yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel vats. The wine underwent malolactic conversion, before being aged in stainless steel tanks for three months to retain the freshness, the typicity of the Roussillon terroir and the character of old-vine Carignan.

Tasting Note

A supple and smooth Carignan showing ample notes of wild, dark red fruits and characteristic spice. Beautifully balanced with a silky texture and a long finish. 

Grape

Carignan 100%