The wines of Domaine Danjou-Banessy have this sense of suave minerality and ripe fruit accented by undertones of herbs that are reminiscent of the best wines of Montsant. The domaine is a 17-hectare estate located... Read More
The wines of Domaine Danjou-Banessy have this sense of suave minerality and ripe fruit accented by undertones of herbs that are reminiscent of the best wines of Montsant. The domaine is a 17-hectare estate located just north of Perpignan, managed by brothers Benoît and Sébastien Danjou-Banessy who inherited the estate from their grandfather in 2001. If you ask the grandfather, Denis Danjou-Banessy, when the family first started farming the land he will tell you “Since forever”. Although the grandfather and his forebears had for generations made Rivesaltes, the brothers have focused their considerable talents on the production of dry red and white wines.
Like the wines further south, on the other side of the border with Spain, Danjou-Banessy makes wines from varieties like Macabeu, Carignan, Mourvedre, and Grenache as well as Muscat d'Alexandrie and Syrah. The vineyards are farmed biodynamically and winemaking is strictly non-interventionist. With diverse soil makeup the brothers strive to showcase the unique qualities of each parcel in their various cuvées. reflect not only the variable cépage but also the distinct parcels of vineyards with strikingly different soils. The Truffière and Myrs vineyards lie on black schist and limestone while other vineyards lie on marl with silica and clay/limestone mixture.
These are one-of-a-kind wines that exhibit qualities that speak of style that will become a lasting tradition. The brothers use unconventional methods like crushing by foot, whole cluster fermentation for white wines, spontaneous fermentation, and even some elevage sous voile. All of the wines are stylistically distinct but invariably brilliant and complex.
