Coume del Mas - Banuyls Quintessence 2019 (50 cl)

Based in Cosprons, a hamlet of Port-Vendres, Philippe Gard has chosen to set himself apart from most of the region’s winemakers, and his wines reflect his personality. Armed with a host of degrees, this agricultural engineer and oenologist arrived in the region in 1997, after spending many years camping in the wild there. He founded his estate in 1997, which today spans 15 hectares. While so many others produce sweet wines out of tradition and heritage, he has chosen to make them as well, focusing on the high end of the market. His wines undergo long aging, and most importantly, on the lees of the current vintage—not those from the previous ten years! As for the Collioure wines—which account for 80% of production—they offer several distinct styles, sometimes from coastal vineyards, sometimes from higher elevations, but always with the same precision on the palate.

The brief time in the barrel before bottling did not alter the garnet color of this wine, but it did impart lovely toasted notes that complement the ripe fruit, blackcurrant buds, and a hint of fig and caramel—signs that the wine is beginning to develop. Tannins add a robust touch to a smooth and expressive palate, where black cherry blends with the minerality of the Mediterranean scrub.

An agricultural engineer, Philippe Gard first worked at the Auxerre Chamber of Agriculture, then at the Bordeaux Chamber of Agriculture. But his true passion is winemaking, and he eventually settled down with Nathalie in 1998 in Cosprons, near the Paulilles cove, where he now cultivates 14 hectares of terraced vineyards. He launched his Coume del Mas label in 2001. Both his Banyuls and Collioure wines—intense and refined—made an immediate splash.

Quintessence is a late-harvest Rimage Banyuls that offers notes of prickly pear and a hint of mocha; the sweetness blends perfectly with its richness.

A lover of his terroirs, Philippe Gard has made his home in the hamlet of Cosprons, between Banyuls-sur-Mer and Port-Vendres. He is dedicated to cultivating a 13-hectare estate of old vines, all of which are remarkably well-situated. All his wines are fermented in barrels, and his deep knowledge of his plots allows him to adapt to the vagaries of climate and microclimates from year to year. His expertise in winemaking and aging has quickly established his production as one of the most ambitious in the region. It certainly deserves the attention of enthusiasts of Côte Vermeille wines: all his wines are captivating and offer excellent aging potential!