Domaine Danjou Banessy - Coste 2024
Domaine Danjou-Banessy is one of the most unique estates in Roussillon, located in Espira-de-l’Agly, in the Agly valley, north of Perpignan. Benoît and Sébastien Danjou continue a family tradition by working Catalan terroirs marked by great geological diversity, including schists, clay-limestone, pebbles, marls, and stony soils. The estate has established itself through a precise, lively, and low-intervention approach, practicing organic viticulture with a biodynamic sensitivity regularly associated with their work. Coste holds a special place in the range, as this cuvée highlights Macabeu, a historic white grape variety of Roussillon and Catalonia. Often discreet when grown without ambition, it can become very expressive on the region's beautiful dry and mineral terroirs. The 2024 vintage reflects this identity through a dry white that is both generous, saline, and textured. Domaine Danjou-Banessy Coste 2024 thus presents itself as a Catalan white with character, built more on substance and minerality than on aromatic exuberance.
The Coste 2024 cuvée is made from 100% Macabeu, a Mediterranean grape variety capable of producing broad, fine, and slightly oxidative whites when worked with precision. The vines are located in Espira-de-l’Agly, on terroirs whose sources describe a dominant clay-limestone base, sometimes associated with rolled pebbles or schists depending on the plots and distributors. This geological base contributes to the wine's saline, chalky, and mineral sensation. Here, Macabeu expresses less immediate fruit than a poised substance, a fine bitterness, and discreet depth. Available information mentions a low-intervention vinification, with spontaneous fermentation, careful pressing, and long aging, either in barrels or large casks depending on the sources consulted. The goal seems to be to preserve the natural density of the grape variety while refining its texture and structure. Coste 2024 thus fits into a serious Mediterranean dry white profile, accessible in its youth but capable of evolving for a few years in the cellar.
On tasting, Domaine Danjou-Banessy Coste 2024 offers a clear, bright robe, sometimes marked by slight green reflections. The nose may evoke white peach, pear, ripe apple, fine honey, soft citrus, fresh almond, aniseed herbs, and a discreet smoky touch. On the palate, the wine is generous, ample, and full, with a supple substance but held by a clear minerality. The finish presents a chalky and saline sensation, accompanied by a fine bitterness that adds relief and persistence. The whole remains balanced, with a style deeper than simply fruity, faithful to Catalan terroir whites. This wine will ideally accompany grilled fish, roasted poultry, Mediterranean vegetables, squid, herb-based cuisine, fresh sheep cheese, or seafood risotto. It should be served around 10 to 12 °C, with slight aeration to reveal its texture and mineral nuances.
Grape variety: 100% Macabeu
