Domaine Danjou-Banessy, Espira d’Lagly

These two brothers, Benoit and Sébastien Danjou, took over Domaine Danjou from their grandfather in 2003. When they are not sipping on a bottle of Coche-Dury or Rayas (their standards are quite high…) they’re working with their passion which is to show the diversity and uniqueness of their different vineyards are able to express.

It’s important for these brothers to keep up the work with old clones and the varieties that have been driven away in favour of the high-producing, conventional varieties that have infected the wine business during the last decades. At the time of writing, Ben and Seb have 15 hectares of vineyards, all spread out on lots of small parcels with different terroir. Their oldest vines (and yes they’re oldies) are situated in the forest, just north of Rivesaltes.

Neither one of these charming brothers nor their ancestor’s saw anything good in poisoning the soil. So Ben and Seb never had to clean up dirt or be under conversion.

They work with neutral oak and concrete in the vinery and since 2009 they left the idea of extraction. The wines are fruity, mineral, fresh and very expressive – all in different ways depending on their origin.

2021 Coste Blanc

Soil: Clay and limestone on top of pebbles
Grape: Macabeu
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1987-2007

Vinification: Direct press, fermentation and aged in old 500-liter barrels for 10 months.

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2021 Clos des Escounils

Soil: Schist, limestone and pink sandstone
Grape: Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Grenache Noir
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1927

Vinification: Direct press, fermentation and aged in old barriques for 18 months.

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2021 La Truffière Blanc

Soil: Black schists on top of limestone. These vineyards have the benefit of truffles growing around them.
Grape: 75% Carignan Gris 25% Carignan Blanc
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1937

Vinification: Direct press, fermentation and aged in old barriques for 18 months.

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2022 Supernova

Soil: Clay and limestone on top of pebbles
Grape: Muscat
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1938

Vinification: Destemmed and macerated with the skins for 3 weeks in open vats before pressing. Continuous fermentation and ageing takes place in old 500 liter barrels for 7 months.

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2021 Roboul

Soil: Calcaire, pebbles and silty clay.
Grape: 80% Mourvèdre 20% Grenache Noir
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1967-1987

Vinification: Mainly whole-cluster fermentation in open tanks with careful punch down by feet, pressed after 25 days of maceration. Aged in old 500 Liter oak barrels for 10 months before bottling.

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2021 La Truffière Rouge

Soil: Black schists on top of limestone. These vineyards have the benefit of truffles growing around them.
Grape: 50% Grenache Noir 50% Carignan Noir
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1937-1957

Vinification: Whole-cluster fermentation in open tanks with some careful punchdown by feet, maceration for 18 days, then pressed and aged in old 500-liter oak barrels before bottling after 18 months.

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2021 Myrs Rouge

Soil: Decomposed schist
Grape: Carignan Noir
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1926-1927

Vinification: Whole-cluster fermentation in open vat with careful punchdown by feet for 20 days, then pressed and aged in old barriques for 18 months.

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2018 Les Mirandes Rouge

Soil: Volcanic, from the ’Les Mirandes’ vineyard
Grape: Syrah
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1943-1963

Vinification: Mainly whole-cluster fermentation in open tanks with some punch down by feet, pressed after 25 days of maceration. Aged in old 500-liter oak barrels for 20 months before bottling.

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2020 Espurna

Soil: Decomposed schist
Grape: Cinsault
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Villages
Age of Vines: Planted 1912-1932

Vinification: Whole-cluster fermentation in open with careful punch down by feet for 20 days, then pressed and aged in old barriques for 28 months

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