2018 Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem Cotes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France

There is one “100-point Winemaker” to rule them all in France.

His name is Michel Chapoutier, and he has racked up, at latest count, SIXTY-EIGHT perfect scores.

The 2018 Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem is what happens when Chapoutier, the Rhône Valley’s most dynamic and energetic winemaker, gets his hands on ancient Syrah and Grenache vines in Roussillon, farms them biodynamically, and swings for the fences.

If you’re typically drawn to Châteauneuf-du-Papes but are not exactly partial to their $50+ price tags, this bottle—whose Latin name translates to “hidden gem”—will thrill you. Awarding it 92–94 points, Jeb Dunnuck called it “terrific,” with a “wonderful purity of fruit, no hard edges, and a great finish.”

In 1999, Chapoutier stumbled upon a neglected 185-acre property in Roussillon’s Agly Valley, close to the Spanish border. He was smitten by the wildness of the slopes and the vineyards bracketed by scrappy brush, sparse trees, and wild herbs. There was a perfume in the air that he couldn’t get out of his head: a mix of smoky rosemary, thyme, juniper, lavender, and olive.

He purchased the estate, determined to bring it back to life—and he has succeeded wildly. His Roussillon wines absolutely obliterate the expectations that come with their modest price, and 19 years after he first set eyes on the property, Mother Nature served up an exceptional growing season there. Chapoutier slammed it out of the park with an old-vine blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan from the village of Latour de France.

Aromatically exquisite and perfectly light on its feet, finishing with superb vibrancy and persistence, this bottle is in a class of its own—a performance worthy of Chapoutier’s reputation.

• Fruit Intensity
• Oak Intensity
• Body
• Acidity
• Tannin

• ABV 15.00%
• 30 mins
• Now – 2028
• 50% Syrah40% Grenache5% Carignan5% Mourvèdre
• Serving temperature – 60°
• Cork