November 2025 - Côtes Catalanes

Featuring:

Domaine Cazes

In decades past, it was easy to dismiss southwestern France as a bulk-wine wasteland, with most production going to low-cost blends sold within France or the EU. In the early 2010s, when I started working in wine, only a few producers from this region had a stranglehold on American perception. (Looking at you, Mas de Daumas Gassac). These wines were often sold as "actually good wines from the Languedoc!" and poured by the glass as alternatives to Bordeaux.

Over the last decade, however, that trend has been completely upended. Today, dozens—if not hundreds—of excellent producers from Languedoc-Roussillon are imported to the US. Most are small, family-owned vineyards. Many farm organically and biodynamically, which is easily achievable in the dry, warm Mediterranean climate. And nearly all make fantastic wine at highly agreeable prices. Simply put, Languedoc-Roussillon has gone from an infamous bulk-wine producer to one of the best places in the world to find value-driven fine wine.

We'll give a brief overview of the geography and climate before diving into this month's producer, Domaine Cazes.

Geography & Climate

While Languedoc-Roussillon stretches from the Rhône River to the Spanish border, we're focusing on the tiny Côtes Catalanes region, an IGP within Roussillon that extends from the Spanish border to just past Perpignan along the Mediterranean Sea. Though politically French today, this area has more in common culturally with Spanish Catalonia and its capital, Barcelona, just across the border.

This area is essentially a natural amphitheater bordered by three mountain ranges: the Pyrenees to the west and south (where the microstate of Andorra lies), the Corbières massif to the north, and the Albères mountains along the Spanish border. This creates a sheltered basin that funnels and intensifies unique weather patterns. The region is one of the sunniest and driest in France. Similar to the US West Coast, most rain falls from autumn through early spring, and summers are relatively dry.

The area has incredible soil diversity for its small footprint. In the north, black schist provides excellent heat retention and drainage, giving wines great concentration and depth. In the foothills and river valleys, granite and limestone/clay terraces, respectively, show polish and finesse, highlighting minerality. In some riverbed areas, round river rocks (galets) offer slow heat release similar to the famous soils of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Sandy soils near the coast provide fantastic drainage and poor nutrient retention, allowing old vines to produce small yields with high flavor concentration. This wide array allows for incredible diversity in terroir-driven wines. A Cinsault from one part of Côtes Catalanes may be quite different from another of the same vintage and winemaking style.

The climate is defined by two key features: diurnal temperature swings and wind. The warm Mediterranean sun ripens grapes well during the day, while the amphitheater of mountains brings temperatures down significantly at night, allowing grapes to rest and locking in acidity. The Tramontane is the prominent wind that blows through the region. Like Provence's Mistral, the Tramontane blows down from the Pyrenees, bringing strong, cold temperatures. This wind can blow for days, posing both challenges and benefits to farmers. It can change the weather dramatically (particularly around crucial budbreak or harvest times), but it also quickly dries vineyards after rain (preventing fungal diseases) and helps temper summer heat.

While not featured in this wine club due to cost, we'd be remiss not to mention the amazing fortified wines of Roussillon: Banyuls, Maury, and Rivesaltes. These three appellations are located on the periphery of Côtes Catalanes at higher elevation sites in the foothills. While they represent a small portion of total vineyard acreage, they've historically been the most notable offerings from this region. All three produce stylistically similar wines with subtle differences. Classified as Vin Doux Naturels (VDN), these wines are fortified with neutral grape spirit to stop fermentation while considerable sugar remains. This means the wines are higher in alcohol (15-19%) while retaining good sugar and acidity levels. (This same production style is used for Port, the world's most famous fortified wine.)

All three styles are made predominantly with Grenache (usually Noir, but often Blanc or Gris) and tend to be densely fruited with sometimes oxidative and nutty flavors. Rivesaltes and Maury can be aged outdoors in glass demijohns, allowing them to oxidize and develop a 'rancio' character. Banyuls, often the finest and most expensive of the three, are aged a minimum of 30 months in oak barrels and can be considered the French equivalent of fine Port.

Domaine Cazes

Domaine Cazes dates back to 1895, when Michel Cazes started a small farm in the hillsides around Rivesaltes. By the 1950s, the estate had grown to 50 hectares (~120 acres), and the family focused on producing fortified wines—Rivesaltes and Banyuls. From mid-century through the 1990s, the winery produced almost entirely dessert wines.

By the late 1990s, the fourth generation—led by Emmanuel Cazes—was at the helm. Two major changes occurred: First, Cazes ramped up production of dry wines (formerly just one) to represent a whole range of dozens of wines. Second, they converted the estate to organic and then biodynamic farming. This transformation brought Cazes out of obscurity and greatly expanded their portfolio. Since they were already considered a benchmark VDN/fortified producer in the region, their expansion to dry wines helped bring the entirety of Côtes Catalanes (and Roussillon as a whole) out of the dessert wine era and into a dry-wine renaissance.

Today, the estate is managed by Lionel Lavail, a sixth-generation vigneron who, though not a descendant of the Cazes lineage, has Roussillon viticulture and winemaking in his blood. The property spans 220 hectares (over 550 acres) and, since 2005, has been farmed entirely certified organic and biodynamic—a massive and impressive undertaking.

Cazes, ‘Macabeó’ Orange, Côtes Catalanes 2024

This wine is 100% Macabeo (Macabeu in Catalan, Viura in Rioja). Orange wines, as you may know, are white wines macerated on the skins like red wine. For this wine, they take it a step further and philosophically treat it like a red from vineyard to bottle.

It's grown biodynamically and harvested from clay-limestone soils. The grapes are harvested later than for white wine, giving the tannins more time to ripen and allowing acidity to soften. The wine is macerated on the skins for 7 to 15 days, depending on the lot, before pressing and fermenting in neutral barrels for a minimum of 8 months.

The wine has classic orange characteristics: bergamot tea, orange peel, and spicy herbs—cloves and curry. On the palate, more citrus notes emerge—kumquat, orange peel, and dried fruit. It has a light to medium body with fine tannins and bright but not overwhelming acidity. This is what I'd classify as a 'contemplative' orange rather than a funky 'kombucha/sour beer' orange. It's properly made and clean while showcasing the winemaking style of orange wine very well.

Macabeo is said to pair well with Asian dishes due to the varietal characteristics of melon and lime. While this wine doesn't showcase those specific flavors, I still think it would work well with brighter cuisine like Thai curries or herbal Vietnamese soups. It would also be a fine accompaniment to Thanksgiving dinner, with structure and acidity to pair well with rich white meat.

Cazes, ‘Samsó’ Cinsault, Côtes Catalanes 2024

Cinsault (or Samsó in Catalan) is a variety that originated in Provence and slowly spread across southwestern France to Spain. It's often used for rosé, but as a red wine can be bright, fruity, and floral.

This Cinsault is farmed biodynamically—picture grass cover with beneficial companion planting, sheep pasturing in winter when vines are dormant, and the only sprays or interventions made from plant or animal products. In the cellar, the grape clusters are fully destemmed before traditional red wine fermentation: 6-day maceration on native yeasts before finishing alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in vats. It's aged for 3 months in stainless steel before bottling with light filtration.

This is bright, with light red strawberry/raspberry fruit notes and a touch of earthy, peppery, leathery aromas. On the palate it has fine, grippy tannins and bright acidity. The wine isn't bold, but has structure and texture that lean toward food-friendliness. For pairings, this would go great with a nice autumnal stew—like a rich vegetable stew or boeuf bourguignon. Similar to the orange wine, this has the components to pair well with Thanksgiving dinner—fine tannins, bright fruit, and lip-smacking acidity. And if it doesn't last that long, don't fret—we have plenty of other perfect Thanksgiving wines ready for you!