From the mountains to the sea

How our Red Wine of the Year was created

There are moments that go far beyond an ordinary working day. Moments in which an idea becomes a vision and something lasting emerges from a vision. That is exactly how the story of our Red Wine of the Year began.

When we talked about the upcoming 15th anniversary of Vinoscout at the beginning of the year, we quickly realized that we did not want to let this occasion simply pass by. Fifteen years are far more than a number. Behind them are thousands of shipped packages, countless opened bottles, shared moments of enjoyment, and above all, people who have placed their trust in us over many years. Many of our customers have been with us since the first days. They have experienced how Vinoscout has grown, how our range has developed, and how an idea became a passion that we are allowed to live every day.

Such an anniversary deserves something special.

Of course, it would have been obvious to select an existing top wine, design an exclusive label, or launch a limited special edition. But the longer we thought about it, the clearer it became to us that all of that would not do justice to our standards. If we wanted to say thank you, then in the most honest way we know – with a wine.

Not just any wine.

But with a wine that embodies exactly what Vinoscout has stood for for fifteen years: exceptional quality, authentic origin, and a price-to-enjoyment ratio that inspires people. A wine that is worth significantly more than its price tag would suggest. A wine that you pour for friends with full conviction and that raises the question at the first sip: "Wait… what does this wine actually cost?"

We had in mind a red wine that does not seek extremes, but balance. Powerful enough for a winter evening by the fireplace or the festive roast at Christmas. Elegant enough for Easter with the family. And at the same time so fresh and lively that you would want to enjoy it slightly chilled on the terrace on a warm summer evening. A wine that is not created for points, but for our customers. For conversations. For memories. For all those moments when wine is more than just a drink.

However, it was also clear to us that we would not find such a wine in a price list. It had to be created. Together with a winemaker who shares our philosophy and whose signature we have appreciated for many years. For us, there was really only one name for this: Jean-Marc Lafage.

Hardly any other winemaker understands so masterfully how to capture the diversity of the Roussillon in his wines. His family has been farming this unique landscape for generations. Between the foothills of the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean, wines are created here that combine power and elegance, warmth and freshness in a fascinating way. That is exactly where we wanted to create our anniversary wine.

A few weeks later, the alarm clock rang early in the morning. Frank and I set off for Berlin airport. While others traveled south with suitcases full of vacation anticipation, we carried an idea above all else. We did not have a finished wine in our heads, no recipe, and no fixed plan. Merely the vision of a wine that we ourselves would recommend with full conviction at any time.

After our landing in Barcelona, Immanuel was already waiting for us. After a warm welcome, we stowed the luggage in the car and set off immediately towards France. After a short time, we left the hustle and bustle of the big city behind us. The roads became quieter, the landscape wider, and with every turn, the picture seemed to change.

Impressive rock formations rose before us, their stone glowing almost golden in the sun. Narrow roads wound through barren valleys and over lonely plateaus. The slopes seemed rough and unapproachable, almost inhospitable. And yet, we discovered vineyards again and again whose vines have been clinging to exactly these soils for decades. Some stood on rugged terraces, others on wind-swept plateaus, others still seemed to grow literally out of the rocks. These are vineyards that give their winemakers nothing for free and demand respect year after year. That is precisely why wines of exceptional personality are created here.

The closer we got to Domaine Lafage, the more the landscape changed. The mountains slowly receded into the background. The air became milder. A fine scent of salt suddenly lay in the breeze. And finally, the Mediterranean appeared on the horizon. It is precisely this fascinating interplay of mountains and sea that shapes the Roussillon like hardly any other wine region in Europe. In a very small space, two worlds meet and create conditions that give wines an unmistakable identity.

However, there was no time for romantic walks that day. As soon as we reached Domaine Lafage, Jean-Marc greeted us with a warm smile. The joy of seeing each other again was great, but we were all here for the same reason. After a brief exchange, he led us directly into the tasting room.

Numerous barrel samples were already waiting for us there.

Each glass represented a different plot, a different grape variety, a different aging process. Some wines already showed their dark fruit and Mediterranean spice in the nose, others impressed with freshness, elegance, and astonishing finesse. Each sample had its own character, each told its own story. Our task was to write a new one from all these stories.

What many wine lovers hardly suspect is the incredible precision with which a great cuvée is created. There is no formula according to which one simply combines a few percent of this and a few percent of that batch. Every smallest change shifts the balance of the entire wine. You work with nuances. With impressions. With experience. With intuition.

Thus began a day that was characterized by patience.

We tasted. We discussed. We took notes. We compared. Again and again, glasses were refilled, samples were reassembled, and ratios were changed. Sometimes a powerful batch was given a little more room, sometimes an elegant component moved more into the center. Several times we were convinced we had arrived. Several times we believed we had now found the perfect balance. And just as often we consciously decided against it. We discarded complete assemblages, started all over again, and questioned every single decision.

Jean-Marc and Rüdiger worked with impressive calm. His experience was palpable in every movement. He listened attentively, contributed new ideas, and recognized changes that would have been barely perceptible to others. It was fascinating to experience how a few milliliters of a barrel sample could change the character of an entire wine.

The hours passed almost unnoticed.

At some point, that rare moment occurred that one can hardly describe. We tasted again. No one said anything. Everyone took another sip. Then we looked at each other.

No more conversations were needed, no weighing up, no further glass. We all knew it at the same time – this is it OUR RED WINE OF THE YEAR – the wine had been found.

Not because it wanted to be spectacular. But because suddenly everything was right. Power and elegance were in perfect balance. Dark fruit, fine spice, and silky tannins combined to form a wine that embodied exactly what we had been looking for. A wine that breathed the Roussillon and yet remained incredibly accessible. A wine that Jean-Marc and we took into our hearts at the same moment.

With a barrel sample of our freshly created wine, we said goodbye to the winery in the early evening. The work was done. Now the enjoyment could begin.

Our small guesthouse was located directly by the sea. No big hotel, no luxury. Only the sound of the waves, a light breeze, and the soothing calm of a long day. That is exactly where we let the evening fade away.

For dinner, we stopped at the traditional Le Vigatane in Canet-en-Roussillon. The restaurant has been one of the culinary institutions of the region for many years and is known for its authentic Catalan cuisine, which combines regional products and traditional recipes with great care. Between Mediterranean aromas, fresh fish, the best meat, and the warm hospitality of the house, we reviewed the day.

Of course, our barrel sample was also on the table. For the first time, its aromas left the tasting room. For the first time, we no longer analyzed it. We simply enjoyed it.

Before us, the Mediterranean glittered in the last rays of the sun. Behind us lay the mountains through which we had driven in the morning. In that moment, we realized that it was precisely these two landscapes that had shaped the character of our wine. One plot lay high up in the foothills of the Pyrenees – characterized by old vines, barren soils, and impressive mineral depth. The other was located only a few kilometers from the sea, where the cooling breeze gives the wine freshness, elegance, and liveliness.

Suddenly one of us said: "Actually, this wine tells exactly these two plots."

For a brief moment, it became quiet, then we all nodded. The name was found: "Deux Parcelles" two plots, from the mountains to the sea.

The next morning, the barrel sample began the journey to Germany with us. However, there was far more in our luggage than just a new wine. We took memories with us. Conversations. Impressions. The feeling of having created something together with Jean-Marc Lafage that would never have existed without this trip.

When we open a bottle of Deux Parcelles today, we do not think first of grape varieties or analyses. We think of the winding roads of the Roussillon, of the old vineyards between rocks and sea, of the many hours at the tasting table, and of an evening when an idea became a name.

Above all, however, we think of our customers.

Because without fifteen years of trust, this trip would never have happened. And without this trip, there would be no Deux Parcelles today.

Perhaps that is exactly the most beautiful thing about this wine. It tells not only the story of two extraordinary plots. It also tells ours.

Frank, Immanuel, and Rüdiger.