The village Tautavel is lovely and largely unknown to the outside world. It is perched in a high valley that links the French wine regions of Roussillon and Corbières.
Before now, Tautavel’s singular claim to fame was the site of a major archeological find: Back in the 1970s, a hominid skeleton dating back nearly a half-million years was discovered near the town and was nicknamed the Tautavel Man.
Fast forward to this century, and the town is developing a reputation for its wines. The wines are mostly Syrah, blended with some Grenache and Carignan.
This particular bottle pushes the Syrah component to the top, and that is an excellent thing. .It comes swinging out of the glass like a lunatic prizefighter. Blueberry, tobacco, wet leather, and game are the principal flavors, ending with licorice and burnt herbs. A woolly mammoth of a wine (so to speak).