Domaine Les Mille Vignes - Fitou Dennis Royal 2018

In 2000, Valérie Guérin took over the estate that her father, Jacques—a professor of oenology—had built up over the years. Over the course of twenty years, the estate grew from 1,000 vines to eleven hectares: thirteen plots of very old vines cultivated meticulously, with low yields, a very natural winemaking process, and absolutely no barrel aging. The wines—harmonious, full of flavor and freshness—are deeply appealing for their natural character. The “Dennis-Royal” cuvée, made from Carignan vines over 75 years old, and the “Les-Vendangeurs-de-la-Violette” remain as fabulous as ever. The 2016 vintage will require a bit more patience, as the extraction appears to be more intense than usual.

The initial 1,000 pieds of vines have, through a series of acquisitions and plantings, grown into an 11-hectare estate in the coastal region of Fitou. This estate, founded in 1979 by Jacques Guérin, a former “viti” teacher at the high school in Orange, has been managed by his daughter Valérie since 2000.

Dennis Royal remains a benchmark: made primarily from time-honored Carignan grapes, it offers a rich, indulgent palate that blends notes of licorice and blackberry.

For two decades, Valérie Guérin—recently joined by her sister Agnès—has passionately championed this small estate in the La Palme area (in the coastal part of the Fitou appellation). Massal selections, extremely low yields of less than 20 hl/ha (which explain the high prices), and long vatting periods are her guiding principles. The result in the bottle is the perfect balance between ripeness and freshness. Multiple harvests from the vineyards yield a table rosé, three reds, and four dessert wines. These characterful wines boast a unique concentration; while they may seem bold in their youth, they refine beautifully with age.