Wines

Mas des Capitelles’ workhorse “Vieilles Vignes” is built on the backs of Mourvèdre (50%) and Carignan (25%) from vines up to 80 years old, with Syrah (25%) completing the blend. After a 30-day maceration with a small proportion of semi-carbonic whole clusters in the fermentation, one-fifth of the cuvée was aged in oak and four-fifths in fiberglass and enamel vats, with bottling taking place after 14 months. An exuberant nose of blueberries, violets, and warm dust evokes the sun-scorched slopes of the appellation in visceral fashion, and the palate sizzles with an almost spiky minerality, framed by rich but firm blue and black fruits. The balance of refinement and wildness here is extraordinary, with neither trait calling too much attention to itself.

Mas des Capitelles’ “Vintage” bottling showcases some of their extremely old Carignan plantings, with 40% of the blend coming from 80-year-old Carignan, and 30% each from Mourvèdre and Grenache. After a month-long maceration with a small proportion of semi-carbonically-fermented whole clusters, “Vintage” spends 24 months aging 80% in used French oak, with the remainder—Grenache exclusively, which takes less kindly to barrel—in fiberglass and enamel vats. Here, a ripe, softly brooding nose presents a tug-of-war between herby earth tones and velvety dark-red and black fruit, and the palate, while substantially structured, buffers its tannins politely but not ingratiatingly. This is consciously released after a few years of bottle age and will benefit from even more.