Languedoc-Roussillon

Located in small village of Sainte Colombe de la Commanderie, on the terroir of Aspres, at the foothills of Mont Canigou, the last peak in the Pyrenees before the Mediterranean sea. Aspres means arid or dry in Cataln, depicting the chalky clay and schist soil of the region, which is the best terroir for vins doux naturels made of Grenache noir, Maccabeo and Grenache gris. Georges Mossé (1884 – 1964), the father of the current owner, decided to not sell the entire harvest each year but instead preserve some great vintages in oak after WWI. That’s why we are fortunate to have these exceptional wines in barrels.

-Importer notes (Martine's)

Pronounced Ar-jess, this comes from the lieu-dit of Babio to the northeast of the village (Karst comes from the north-northwest). The name is an homage to the ancient Greeks, who may have been the first to make wine in Gaul; it's their word for clay. The soil here is clay-limestone, but the emphasis is on the clay, and it's the coupe-roses clay once used by Françoise's forefathers to make roof tiles. This heavy topsoil lays 1-2 meters over limestone bedrock, nurturing just over three acres of Roussanne and just over one of Grenache Blanc. Harvest is by hand, the grapes pass over a selection table, fermentation is spontaneous (20% in neutral 500L demi-muids, the rest in steel), blending takes place in early December, and bottling is in the following spring. No fining or filtration, no SO2 or other additions.

Domaine la Sobilane is located near Perpignan, in the Eastern Pyrenees region between the villages of Canet and Saint-Nazaire in the heart of the Roussillon. La Sobilane's oldest vintages date from the end of the Second World War, and the property now belongs to Mauricette Daniel.

-Importer notes (Martine's)