Nicq of Thyme - Pure Roussillon

Défenseur des vins de fruit, de plaisir et de terroir, Jean-François Nicq incarne une nouvelle génération des Côtes-du-Roussillon. Sorry, I should be writing this in English. It’s just that these wines liberate my inner terroir.

Jean-François Nicq took over the domaine in 2002. It was then ten hectares and he planted a further two on beautiful schist and gneiss (very gneiss) slopes. In his first year he began the conversion to organic viticulture. In his previous job he vinified the wines at the co-op in the Cotes du Rhone (Estezargues) where he worked without sulphur and maintained this practice of natural winemaking at Foulards for his first vintage.

The terroir is Les Albères in the Pyrenees-Orientales, 10km from the sea and Collioure, where the maritime influence brings the freshness that enables the wines to reach phenolic maturity without excessive alcohol. The nor-nor –east exposition of the vines compounds this character and finally the soils which make up this ancient granitic area bequeath a delicacy and elegance to the wines.
The yields are kept low by the climatic conditions; successive droughts over the years have forced the vines to develop deep root systems to search for water and mineral nourishment. Depending on the parcel the yields range from 5-25hl/ha. Purity is the watchword here; the first thing you notice is the freshness of the wines, and, dare one say, some pretty juicy fruit.

Frida is from 50% Grenache and 50% Carignan (80 year old vines) on shattered granite soils. The yields are a valiant 10 hl/ha (count those grapes) Viticulture is entirely organic. Grapes are destemmed and fermented at a low temperature on the wild yeasts for a month. No sulphur is added. Les Glaneuses is 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah from yields ranging between 5-15hl/ha (mad, I tell you, mad). Carbonic maceration for twenty days on the indigenous yeasts and no sulphur. Soif du Mal is made similarly except that it is a blend of Syrah 70% and Grenache 30%. If ever a wine tasted medicinal in a good sense then this paregoric potion fits the bill and hits the spot.