Domaine Lafage Côtes Catalanes Narassa 2017 (France)

Description

• Full bodied
• Black fruit
• White pepper
• Cedarwood 

"I’ve raved time and time again about the quality - and value - coming from Domaine Lafage’s Jean-Marc Lafage. Almost too good to be true, the 2017 Narassa is based on 82% Grenache and 18% Syrah, with the Grenache coming from the black slate soils of Maury and the Syrah from the higher elevation, sandy, granitic soils of Saint Martin de Fenouillet. Brought up all in used barrels, this full-bodied, deep, meaty Syrah reminds me a top California GSM blend and has a rocking nose of white pepper, black olives, cedarwood, and ample black fruits. At this quality, they could charge three to four times the price. Drink it over the coming 3-4 years" Jeb Dunnuck

"When it comes to quality-to-price ratios, no one does it better than proprietor Jean Marc Lafage. While it’s easy to write off these as fruit bombs, please taste the wines! They have beautiful purity of fruit, impeccable balance and each release has their own unique character. At the prices, these are no-brainers" Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate

La Narassa is sourced from the famed black schist soils of the Agly valley in the northern Roussillon near the village of Maury. It is made in a semi-ripasso style by harvesting the Grenache and Syrah in successive passes picking only the ripest clusters. Once at the cellars, the fruit is destemmed and only the best berries are chosen for fermentation after a short pre-fermentation maceration.