Domaine de Bila-Haut - Côtes du Roussillon Occultum Lapidem rouge 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Michel Chapoutier, a key and prolific figure in the Rhône Valley wine world, has invested heavily in his Latour de France estate (with over 100 hectares of vines, extending into other villages such as Lesquerde, and a few plots on the Côte Vermeille). True to form in his perfectionism, he offers affordable wines that are good value for money.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

A blend of 50% Syrah, 45% Grenache, and 5% Mourvèdre that was still rock solid when I tasted it, the 2020 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France Occultum Lapidem is peppery and spicy, with lots of blueberries and blackcurrants. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, creamy and supple on the palate, with a long finish, could this wine be better than the impressive 2019?

About the estate:

Michel Chapoutier's outpost in Roussillon is a worthy extension of his operations in the Rhône Valley. The emphasis is on the same varieties—Grenache and Syrah, in varying proportions depending on the terroir—and the overall quality is very good, with the single-vineyard selections being particularly noteworthy for their excellence and limited production volumes. "My opinion is that Roussillon is like the northern Rhône in Languedoc-Roussillon," Chapoutier said during our February tasting in the small village of Latour-de-France. He and the rest of his team are very optimistic about the prospects for 2017 and 2018, which they describe as excellent vintages. It should be noted that while Chapoutier mainly produces dry wines in Roussillon, he has not abandoned traditional styles.

Wine Spectator

Jeb Dunnuck

About wine:

The Côtes Du Roussillon Villages Latour De France Occultum Lapidem 2020, which has not yet been bottled, is more reserved and reductive at this stage, but it shows promising darker berries and blackcurrant fruit, along with notes of violet and peppery herbs. Medium-bodied to full-bodied on the palate, it has good concentration and length, but it is its purity and balance that really set it apart at this stage. A blend of 60% Syrah, 35% Grenache, and the remainder Mourvèdre, destemmed and aged in concrete, it will drink brilliantly upon release and can be enjoyed for at least 7 to 8 years.