Coume del Mas Banyuls Rouge ‘Galateo’ (500ml) 2021

‘Galateo’ is 100% old vine Grenache Noir fortified on skins – a key procedure that helps extraction of colour, tannin and prevents oxidation. The fruit is hand-picked, double sorted, destemmed and chilled down pre-fermentation for a short maceration. Fermentation is done by ambient yeast and the wine tends to stay on the skins for 5–10 days after fortification. The wine then spends six months in 225-litre barrels that are at least two years old yet the oak is very much in the background, functioning to give the wine some oxygen and to allow the tannins to soften and the components to come together. The wine is then aged in this oak for a minimum of six months before bottling. It is a dense, deep wine that is a fascinating match with red meat, or alternatively used as a dessert wine for chocolate, dark fruits or cheese.