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A young and passionate winemaker, Benoît Danjou started to farm a very old vineyard inherited from his grandfather, located in the Côtes Catalanes, directly north of Perpignan, where the countryside is dramatic, with wild scenery, and breathtaking landscapes. Grapes and vines have been a part of their family heritage for generations. The family once dedicated their life to the production of fortified Rivesaltes wines. Benoît worked alongside his grandfather until they produced their final vintage together in 2000.
Benoît progressively converted the domaine to the production of dry red and white wines, although he has wisely preserved some magnificent old Rivesaltes in the cellar.
Nowadays, Benoît is assisted by his brother Sébastien - a former English teacher - who was unquestionably guided by the same passion for the land and the wines.
The 17-hectare estate, located in the village of Espira de l’Agly, has never been subjected to any kind of chemical treatments. The vineyards are farmed organically and biodynamically with extreme precaution, so as to protect the vines, which have an average age in excess of 60 years, and with the highest respect for the biodiversity. Climate is also a primary issue. It used to be essentially Mediterranean, but it is becoming less consistent, and drought conditions are increasingly prevalent, with an inevitable impact on yields.
Planted exclusively with indigenous varieties - Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Carignan, Cinsault, and Syrah for the reds and Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Macabeu, and Carignan for the whites - the vineyards are also composed of a significant variation of soils.
Hand-picking grapes is heroic, and because the brothers feel that each of their plots has its own identity and spirit, they vinify them separately, in order to express their true essence. They want to reflect the personality of each of their terroirs in the glass. Their winemaking philosophy is purposefully respectful and gentle. However, curious by nature, the pair likes to experiment with all types of containers, such as concrete tanks, stainless steel tanks, and numerous sizes of wood vessels.
Although at the forefront of contemporary wines made in the Roussillon, Benoît and Sébastien Danjou are very respectful of their heritage, and they have inspired many young neo-vignerons to settle in the French Catalan country.
Their wines are remarkably refined and elegant, proof that the brothers inherited their ancestors’ know-how, and their respect of the terroir is paramount.
Softly textured, complex, and finely chiseled, Danjou-Banessy’s wines belong to the avant-garde of the Roussillon.
