Domaine Coume del Mas
Founded by Philippe and Nathalie Gard in 2001, the Domaine now has around 15 hectares of vines, principally on the steep slopes around Banyuls sur Mer. Here, where the mountains meet the sea, man’s role in viticulture is paramount. No tractors can pass in the vines here; even a horse plow can’t reach the majority of our vines. It takes a dedicated team of hardworking individuals to prune, work, tend and pick the vineyards here.
The region's rocky soils and extreme climate mean low yields – around 20hl/Ha (roughly half a bottle of wine per vine). The local varieties (Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan principally) provide scope for making excellent wines full of character. Careful work in the vineyard and winery is needed to ensure balance and finesse.
