Danjou Banssey, Truffiere Blanc, 2020

The art of winemaking must be in the blood of brothers Benoit and Sébastien Danjou-Banessy – grapes and vines have been a part of their family heritage for generations. Benoit took over the vineyards from his grandfather in 2001, and was joined five years later by Sébastien, who had been working as an English teacher.Traditionally fortified wine makers, the brothers were the first generation of the family to introduce still wines, dry white and reds made from old vines of local grapes, for example the rare Carignan Gris which makes “La Truffière”. Domaine Danjou-Banessy uses a single-vineyard approach to winemaking across its 17 hectares of land, using vines with an average age of 60 years. The Estaca vineyard features soils of marl and schist, with silica and a trace of iron. The Truffière vineyard is set on black schist and limestone, as is the soil of Myrs. Clos des Escounils, meanwhile, sits on earth of clay and limestone. They are now arguably the best wine makers in the Roussillon and their wines are simply stunning.