Domaine Jones Grenache Noir Vieilles Vignes IGP Cotes Catalanes, 2017

This is where the story of Domaine Jones began, when Katie purchased 8,000 old vines planted on dark black slate soils near the village of Maury. The ninety-year-old vines are planted in a breath-taking vineyard overlooked by the ancient Cathar Quéribus Castle, which itself sits on the highest peak in the region at over 700 metres. The 2017 has blackberry and yeasty aromas. It is soft and supple with concentrated bitter cherry and almond flavours. Layers of flavour reveal themselves, creating a wine with depth and a long juicy cherry and bitter chocolate finish. Grapes were handpicked into small 12-kilo crates, destalked and chilled to a low temperature, where they were held for three days before fermentation.