Domaine Du Mas Blanc Banyuls

The Domaine du Mas Blanc Banyuls ‘Cuvée St. Martin’ 1969 represents the legacy of Docteur Parcé and three generations of the Parcé family, a testament to their vision and advocacy of one of the great terroirs of France. Named after the feast day in October when Banyuls grapes were traditionally harvested, it comes from what is perhaps the prized of the domaine's vineyards: Coume del Mas, a 1.5-hectare, east-facing parcel that sits at 350-meters, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

The soils are classic brown schist and decayed shale; its old-vines planted in the gobelet-style to protect them from the wind. Yields are just 15 hl/ha. Hand-harvested, vinification was traditional: trodden by foot and fermented in barrel with native yeasts. Elevage in Mas Blanc’s ancient demi-muids might last 10-20 years, depending on the vintage. Always limited, a small portion of its production was set aside for inclusion in the estate’s library of its most important wines, a practice inaugurated by Dr. André Parcé in 1947. Now part of the Domaine du Mas Blanc legacy project, Sotolon Selections joined third-generation winemaker Jean-Michel Parcé in evaluating each bottle, selecting only the best of these for re-bottling in a 375-ml format—assurance of the wine’s impeccable provenance and quality. Quantities are extremely limited.