Yoyo, Montesquieu des Albères
In the Banyuls area of Roussillon, near the Spanish border Laurence, also nicknamed Yoyo, farms 5,5 hectares of steep, beautiful vineyards that faces the ocean. Her miniscule production makes her wines almost impossible to find even in France.
Yoyo springs from a family where the women work with fashion and the men make wine. She, herself was a bit alien in that context and dreamt of becoming a shepherdess in her late teens. But, she wasn’t a man, so that wasn’t very suitable, instead she went to fashion school in Paris and then worked as a commercial director for 10 years. 10 years of horror as she calls it. At 35 she couldn’t stand it anymore, she disobeyed the rules of the family, went to winemaking school and fell in love in the Banyuls area after a visit.
In 2005 she moved there and bought her small parcels, first vintage was made in 2007. The though slopes are worked with a horse and plow, and Yoyo has since start been working organic. Today she has 7 ha of vineyards and buys grapes from 1 ha for the wine Alma. She makes her wines in the village of Monteseqieu des Albères, where she shares the old co-op with her friend Jean-Francois Nicq, Les Foulards Rouges.
YoYo’s wines are a pure joy to drink. They are juicy and fruity, with vibrant and intense flavours that never feels heavy. It takes skill and talent to make wines like these, and YoYo executes with perfect balance.
2022 Restaké
Soil: Black schist, from Banyuls
Grape: Grenache Gris
Appellation: Vin de France
Age of Vines: Planted 1976
Vinification: 5 days of maceration on the skins before pressing, to gain structure and freshness, not to do an orange wine. Continuous fermentation for 7 days and then aged in old barrels until bottling in March 2023.
2022 La Louve Noir
Soil: Granite, from Albères
Grape: A mix of around 10 different varieties co planted (Muscat, Grenache all colours etc.) where Cinsault is the dominant.
Appellation: Vin de France
Age of Vines: Planted 1970
Vinification: Whole bunches went through 7 days of carbonic maceration before ageing in 500 l barrels until bottling in the end of March.
2022 Bateau Ivre (Primeur)
Soil: Granite
Grape: Grenache Noir
Appellation: Vin de France
Age of Vines: Planted 1976
Vinification: 5 days of carbonic maceration before pressing. The wine settled in old barrels for one month before bottling.
2022 Akoibon
Soil: Black schist, from Banyuls
Appellation: Vin de France
Grape: 30% Mourvèdre 70% Grenache
Age of Vines: Planted 2006
Vinification: Maceration carbonique for 7 days before pressing. Aged in old 500 liter oak barrels before bottling at the end of March 2023.
2022 La Tranchée
Soil: Black schist, from Banyuls
Grape: Grenache Noir
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Village
Age of Vines: Planted 1956
Vinification: Maceration carbonique for 7 days before pressing. Aged in old 500 liter oak barrels before bottling at the end of March 2023.
2022 Alma
Soil: Granit, from Albères
Grape: 50% Mourvedre, 50% Grenache
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Village
Age of Vines: Planted 1970
Vinification: Maceration carbonique for 7 days before pressing. Aged in concrete tanks until bottling at the end of March 2023.
2022 Vierge Rouge
Soil: Granit, from Albères
Grape: Grenache Noir, Grenach Gris, Grenache Blanc
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Village
Age of Vines: Planted 1956
Vinification: Maceration carbonique for 6 days before pressing. Aged in old 500 liter oak barrels before bottling at the end of March 2023.
2022 KM 31
Soil: Black schist, from Banyuls
Grape: 70% Greanche Gris, Noir & Blanc, 30% Carignan
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Village
Age of Vines: Planted 1922
Vinification: Maceration carbonique for 7 days before pressing. Aged in old 500 liter oak barrels before bottling at the end of March 2023.
2022 La Negra
Soil: Granit, from Albères
Grape: 60% Grenache Noir, 40% Carignan
Appellation: AOC Côtes du Roussillon Village
Age of Vines: Planted 1923
Vinification: Maceration carbonique for 7 days before pressing. Aged in old 500 liter oak barrels before bottling at the end of March 2023.