We don’t stock many wines from Languedoc-Roussillon, but Le Soula is a bit remarkable. When winemaker Gerard Gauby discovered an abandoned parcel of wines in the Agly Valley up in the foothills of the Pyrenees, he saw the site had enormous potential. The poor, granitic soils and a climate that combined the extremes of southern sun and mountain rain and wind were sure to make the vines work hard. Gerard teamed up with Richards Walford Wine Importers and together they brought Le Soula to life, making both reds and whites with powerful flavours and bags of energy.

Long-time Uncorked associate Mark Walford has bought out his business partner Roy Richards and now manages the vineyards together with South African winemaker Wendy Wilson. They farm biodynamically, believing a respect for nature’s cycles is rewarded in the final wine. The white wine is made from a combination of no less than seven grape varieties that combine the local (Macabeu, Grenache Blanc and Gris, Malvoisie du Roussillon) and the imported (Sauvignon Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Vermentino) for an exuberant whole. The red combines local Carignan and Grenache Noir with the outsider Syrah planted on cooler sites for a complex, herby, sometimes heady wine. The high altitude combination of hot daytime sun and cold summer nights is reflected in the seamless combination of ripeness and freshness that defines these wines. (NT 07/03/18)