Le Soula: mountains of character, elegance and freshness
Terroir and altitude are the crucial aspects defining the wines of Le Soula. They have a disconcerting and attractive trait of tasting much more of their origin than their grape varieties. Freshness and texture in the wines derive from the cooling height of the vineyards - similar to much of Mendoza's Andean land. Close to Perpignan on the Mediterranean and on an ancient route to nearby Spain, the scrubby terrain above the precipitous Agly valley is dramatic countryside with an austere beauty. Manicured and green Tuscany it is not. The soils are mostly granite, with the topsoil decomposed granite, though some patches are a heavier schist. The beehives are sequestered in the woods near the vineyards that also shelter the many wild boar.
This, together with the age of the vines and the biodynamic regime, gives low yields that make the small harvests of Chateauneuf-du-Pape seem recklessly generous. But those low yields (sub 20 hl/hectare) give balanced and mineral-inflected wines that sing. Le Soula wines age beautifully, and the 2014 Vin du Fenouilledes Blanc is just getting into its stride. 6,244 bottles of this vintage were produced with Macabeu and Sauvignon blanc the predominant of the 6 varieties, and I challenge you to identify the Sauvignon. Half was matured for 22 months in mostly old 500 litre casks, though they did have a new 2000 litre vat, which looked after nearly a third of the harvest. The balance was kept in tank.
As well as the delicious Vin du Fenouilledes Blanc, Le Soula makes another wine, its 'petit vin', known as Trigone. It's non-vintage for flexibility (there is a clue to the year in the lot numbers, e.g. No.18). The Trigone Blanc is made with the same attention as the first wine and boasts purity, elegance and distinctiveness in equal measure, but is subtly different in its composition as it contains much more Vermentino/Rolle, providing richness and texture as well as acidity. It makes perfect summer drinking and, like all the Soula wines, is extremely age-worthy and will last for over a week in the fridge once opened (if you can manage to stretch a bottle out over that many days!). Given the level of quality, the Trigone is a real bargain at under £200 for a case of 12 bottles and will make a fantastic addition to your lockdown wine menu as we approach the warmer months and start to crave the fresh taste of summer. /CW
Offered subject to remaining unsold; pre-shipment wines available July 2020, otherwise available now
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