MAS KAROLINA
Mas Karolina is the project of Caroline Bonville. Originally from the the Entre-Deux Mers part of Bordeaux where her family owns property, in 2003 she struck out on her own and settled on a vineyard just outside the town of Maury. For her it was perfect and she could make the wine she wanted to make. Now with 17 hectares of plantings, Caroline makes spectacular reds as well as a lovely white and some killer dessert wines. Her Cotes Catalanes Blanc is a blend of 60% Grenache Gris, 30% Macabeu and 10% Carignan Blanc. The wine is like walking into a stone fruit orchard with a nose of nectarine and peach. Light apple blossom with crispy crunch acidity round out the palate. A real refresher. The workhorse red and one of our favorite value wines in the store is the Cotes Catalanes Rouge, a blend of 35% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 40% Carignan. It has deep notes of boysenberry, cocoa, black pepper with nice minerality. These are some of the younger vines but it translates to an openness and freshness in the wine that makes it immediately accessible. The Cotes du Roussillon Villages is a blend of 55% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 15% Carignan. This is the flagship wine capturing the essence of great Roussillon. These are the older vines and the wine spends a little time in French oak barrels about 10% new. The wine has wonderful fruit extraction with notes of ripe cherry heering, wild berries, licorice and spice box. Never heavy, just full and complete. A great throwback to the fortified wines of old is the Maury Vin Doux Naturel. As a port-style wine this has rich deep cherry notes with polished tannins.