Les Rouquets Merlot 2006

Description
This soft, velvety red hails from the well-established Vignerons Catalans cellar in the Roussillon. Pomerol's well-loved Merlot grape is an unusual variety for the Roussillon, where Grenache dominates, but it ripens well on the lower slopes of the Canigou mountains, where the soils are arid and rocky. The vines' roots have to dig deep to find nutrients and water and thereby produce very concentrated fruit.

Les Rouquets is named after the galet stones that litter the ground (like they do in Châteauneuf-du-Pape), absorbing heat during the day and giving it out to the vines at night, thereby continuing the ripening process.

This Merlot is the creation of two of southern France's most talented winemakers - Pierrick Harang and Jean-Michel Barcelo. Dynamic Pierrick, now in his late 20s, obtained his oenology degree at the well-respected Montpellier university, graduating with the highest mark in his year. He spent six months at Mumm in the Napa Valley, before returning to the South of France. Jean-Michel Barcelo is a highly experienced 'ingénieur agronome': he received the highest level degree and is regarded as one of the very top winemakers of the region, consulting for 15 local wineries. Nearly all Merlot, the wine also contains a splash of Syrah which brings peppery, blackberry character, while partial oak-ageing has lent extra complexity.