2016 Le Roc des Anges Effet Papillon Cotes Catalanes Rouge Roussillon Sampler

As Brilliant As Old-Vine Reds Ever Gets at $13/bottle

A little more than a decade after Marjorie Gallet hung out her winemaking shingle in the Roussillon village of Montner, Le Domaine du Roc des Anges became one of the most talked-about young estates in France, seducing Paris sommeliers by the dozens.

Her ancient-vine reds (tended with the help of her husband, Stephané, former winemaker at Mas Amiel), drawn from spindly, deep-rooted Carignan, Grenache, and Mourvèdre parcels, have not only earned placements at Le Pré Catelan, Guy Savoy and Le Crillon— but at another 50 Michelin-starred restaurants.  

To understand why, it’s best to make the trek to the south of France yourself. Weave your way north out of Perpignan. Slalom through the hills, past the whitewashed villages that seem stuck in time. When you get to Montner, just ring the bell outside the Gallets’ estate.

Here, you can see up close the meticulously farmed vineyards that account for some of the juiciest mineral wines in France. Rugged schist hillsides lend this red its marvelous low-pH vibrancy. Unlike the more temperate climate of the northern Rhône, four hours south in Montner, the wind howls at up to 160 km/h, cleansing clusters and nursing them to phenomenal small berry maturity.

The ancient-vine bush plants — some over 110 years old — grow laterally, spidering close to the earth in search of protection. It’s from this unforgiving terroir that Marjorie and Stephané craft the phenomenally full-throttle reds of Roc des Anges.

Sommeliers from Montmartre to the Upper East Side will tell you it’s among the most compelling under-$15 bargains from France — never more so than with the new release of this gorgeous 2016. Spared the frost and hail that affected some French wine regions that year, Roussillon was treated to a long, dry, warm growing season that made for reds of superb balance and structure.

The 2016 Roc des Anges Effet Papillon Côtes Catalanes Rouge Roussillon is deep purple to the edge, infused with luscious dark fruit and brambly aromatics. Rich and opulent, with wonderful, full-throttle, crème-de-cassis high tones, the core features a flashy mix of crushed red and black fruits, wet stone, and violets. The finish — due to the low-pH balance provided by these schiste soils — remains almost “northern,” showing great vibrancy and persistence. Drink now-2020.

The south of France remains the world’s greatest bastion for bargain reds.At $13/bottle, Marjorie’s 2016 Effet Papillon Rouge may be the greatest bargain of all. $23/bottle on release, making this offer a grand 43% off! A limited 150 cases are up for grabs. BARGAIN-HUNTER’S ALERT.