A juicy, deeply aromatic red blend of Lledoner Pelut, Grenache Noir, Carignan, Mourvèdre, and Syrah, made with carbonic maceration. Dark berries, sour cherry, plum, herbs, and pepper come together in a wine that’s ripe and savory but still light on its feet. Fresh, crunchy, and built for a slight chill.

La Cave Apicole

Sylvain Respaut arrived in the Agly Valley in 2007 as a beekeeper. Before long, he found himself drawn to a group of neo-vignerons making the kind of living, expressive wines that were becoming increasingly rare in the region. He started working old hillside vineyards, gradually converting them to organic farming and bringing neglected parcels back to life.

A few years later, Sylvain joined forces with Olivier Cros, the son of a local winemaker who shared his vision of farming and making wine with as little interference as possible. Together they developed La Cave Apicole in the old cooperative cellar in Montner. The name is a nod to their lives as both beekeepers and winemakers—“apicole” referring to beekeeping.

Today, Sylvain, Olivier, and Julien Figueras farm vineyards throughout the Agly Valley, working with old vines rooted in the region’s characteristic schist soils. The farming is organic, with no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, and the vineyards are treated as part of a larger ecosystem alongside the bees and surrounding biodiversity.

In the cellar, things stay just as simple. Grapes are harvested by hand at full maturity and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts. There’s no fining or filtration, no unnecessary additions, and little to no sulfur. The goal isn’t to manipulate the wines into submission, but to let the fruit, vines, and rugged Mediterranean landscape speak speak through the wines.

The resulting wines are vibrant, juicy, and full of personality. These are Roussillon wines with plenty of sunshine behind them, but also freshness, texture, and a distinctly wild sense of place.