Joachim Roque
Banyuls, Roussillon, France
Winemaker Joachim Roque was raised in the hills surrounding Collioure in the Roussillon, in one of the last coastal villages of France before entering Spain. The landscape is desert-like, arid, steep and dusty with a view of the mediteranean in the distance. It is known as a place where vines are hardest to cultivate and yield only very few grapes.
Roque has been a member of Les 9 Caves since 2014. Les 9 Caves is a cooperative of independent winemakers in Banyuls that exchange ideas and equipment. Together with three other winemakers from this cooperative he also makes wines under the name of Tutti Frutti Ananas, which we also import. It is possible to visit Les 9 Caves, that also has a beautiful restaurant, ran by people from Amsterdam, making it even more worth the trip.
Roque works his 8,5 hectares of land organically and as much as possible by hand. He puts a lot of emphasis on respecting the existing vegetation and its ecosystem in the already difficult climate of this region. Considering the intense heatwaves and dry spells that regularly occur, Roque manages to create beautifully fresh and living wines. Their balance and character make his wines a thrilling expression of the Côtes Catalanes.
Since last year Joachim has moved away from Les 9 caves and built his own domaine, in between his vineyards. Together with his wife they created some new cuvées, put new labels on the wines and started afresh.
Some wines to look out for if you love Southern French heavier red, that are stable for by the glass, but our favorite is his rose, Esperanza, which is amazing for the summer now.
Carterole
