2017 Domaine Lafage La Narassa

SOLD OUT! Is the 2017 Domaine Lafage La Narassa the best vintage of this wine ever produced? You can be the judge, but I say yes and so does Jeb Dunnuck, who rated the 2017 at 94 points. He specifically said “at this quality, they could charge three to four times the price.” Jean-Marc Lafage makes some of the most pleasure-bent wines in the world, and this is a wine that will make a lot of folks happy.

A blend of 82% Grenache and 17% Syrah from 60+ year old, organically farmed vineyards, it’s a big, rich, supple, and flavor packed red that will make heads spin. If this GSM styled blend were from Paso Robles in California, it would easily be fetching $40+.

2017 Domaine Lafage La Narassa 

94 points Jeb Dunnuck

SOLD OUT

I’m gonna’ get right to Dunnuck’s review on the 2017 Domaine Lafage Narassa — he doesn’t mince words. “Almost too good to be true, the 2017 Narassa is based on 82% Grenache and 18% Syrah, with the Grenache coming from the black slate soils of Maury and the Syrah from the higher elevation, sandy, granitic soils of Saint Martin de Fenouillet. Brought up all in used barrels, this full-bodied, deep, meaty Syrah reminds me a top California GSM blend and has a rocking nose of white pepper, black olives, cedarwood, and ample black fruits. Drink it over the coming 3-4 years.”

“The Domaine Lafage estate, run by the talented Jean-Marc and Eliane Lafage, includes vineyards spread throughout the Roussillon, allowing them to make the most of the diverse terroirs and micro-climates. I struggle to think of another portfolio that encompasses anywhere close to this level of value, and the average quality to price (QPR) for these wines is just hard to believe!” That’s what Jeb Dunnuck had to say about Domaine Lafage when he was writing for the Wine Advocate.

And Lafage’s La Narassa is one of the estate’s finest values. Sourced from famed black schist soils near the village of Maury, in the northern Roussillon, this 80/20 blend of Grenache and Syrah is rich, ripe, and ready to drink. Lafage employs an interesting tactic in making this wine. He makes it in a semi-ripasso style by harvesting the grapes in successive passes, picking riper and riper clusters with each pass. Once at the cellars, the fruit is hand sorted and only the best berries are chosen for fermentation. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 12 months in concrete (80%) and French oak (20%).

In a nutshell, this tastes like a wine that costs three to four times the price. Perfectly fine without food, it would do wonderful things paired with comfort food staples like burgers, bbq, or lasagna. Take it your next dinner party and wow your friends. And don’t forget to tell them where you got it!

As most of you know, we’re doing curbside pickup only. That means there’s no in-store shopping options. To place your order, use the contact form below or call us at 828.505.8588. We will need to process your payment over the phone before you pickup. Thanks and cheers to happy drinking and eating in Asheville!