After a cool start to the year, in spite of a cool rainy spring we had a relatively good flowering, and then a long dry period in July, August and September. Quality-wise, 2018 turned out to be another excellent vintage - now four in a row, from 2015 to 2018 - and the Grenache is very nicely balanced between ripeness and freshness

Bright cherry and raspberry 'fruit compote' notes with a touch of local herbs. A hint of vanilla oak is evident from one new oak barrel out of 4 barrels used.

This year's Bee-side is savoury and rich, with a gentle fruit compote nose, a warming, easy-going palate, and gentle clove spice, livened with a twist of pithy tannin and a juicy acidity. A highly drinkable red, especially if served lightly chilled.

A cheerful cherry red.

Just delicious with saussices catalan or robust pasta dishes. Or anything really.

After pressing, all of the wine was drained into a mixture of 500L and 225L barrels, one new, and the rest 3-5 years old, and aged for 18 months.

We harvested a good yield of lovely ripe grapes in early October, and our last block from the Coume de Roy picked a few days after the first rain, but just before the heavens opened on the 15th October.

This vintage was due to be bottled in late March, but the bottling was cancelled, thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic. We re-scheduled the bottling for early June.