In the foothills of the Pyrenees, high above the shores of the Mediterranean, fields of gnarled vines nestle amidst the wilderness of the Catalan garrigue. Anchored by deep old roots on granite slopes beneath the sunshine of southern France, cooled by altitude and scoured by the Tramontane winds, these scattered parcels of vines offer a compelling opportunity for the intrepid vigneron.

At the turn of the 21^st Century, pioneering Roussillon winemaker Gerard Gauby drew the potential of these high-altitude vines to the attention of his British importer, Mark Walford. Together they acquired neglected vineyards and an old farmhouse, and in 2001 created the first vintage of Le Soula. Today, Mark owns the majority of the business, and the domaine comprises of 22 hectares under vine, with the oldest vines dating back to 1919. Organic since they were planted, and biodynamic since 2008, the vines of Le Soula (Catalan for 'the sunny slope') produce pitiful yields, but the wines derived from them, made with minimal intervention and never released until they are ready to drink, offer mineral-inflected intensity, elegance and precision, as well as exceptional ageing-potential.