NV Domaine du Mas Blanc (Docteur Parcé) Banyuls Hors d'Âge

Sostera is Catalan for Solera (a term reserved for Sherry). This solera was started in 1925 at a time when Banyuls was hardly heard off and when the vineyard was just beginning to recover from Phylloxera. Production is seriously limited and that's reflected in the price. Bottled Sep 2003. Pale tawny. Too much cinnamon for me on the nose! Though on the palate there is lots of interesting baked stuff with cloves. I wouldn't pay the price for this, especially since there are so many other cheaper wines in this style from the Roussillon but it’s certainly very interesting. (JR)

The non-vintage Banyuls Hors d'Age Vieilli en Solera (the sample tasted for this report was from the "Tirage 1999") is from a solera started in 1925 that includes Banyuls from all the different parcels owned by the Domaine du Mas Blanc. Wines are added each vintage to the solera, and every two years some are bottled. This cedar and amber-colored wine displays chocolate and baked plum aromas. Medium to full-bodied and silky-textured, its flavor profile is composed of chocolate-covered cherries, almond cake, and raspberry coulis. This compelling wine's intricate character lasts throughout its amazingly long finish. Given the fact that it has already undergone a good deal of measured oxidation, it should be capable of aging for up to 20 years. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel (205) 980-8802.