Can you taste the difference?

100 days at sea vs 100 days on land

They say that a wine that has travelled the world, rocked by the continual swell of the sea, ages far better than a wine stored in a deep cellar. Well, here at Le Petit Ballon we wanted to put this to the test! One batch of bottles have travelled the oceans blue, whilst the other batch have rested peacefully underground for the entire period of time; it’s up to you to choose if you agree with the sailor’s tale or not!

The wine

We worked with William from the Domaine Jonquère d'Oriola to create an innovative wine to match the grand adventure, and the result is based on Marselan, a grape that sees Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon crossed for a spicy, structured wine; Mediterranean in style but with the power and freshness of Cabernet Sauvignon!

The vineyard

The batch that has been kept on land, is being stored in the safe hands of the Jonquère d'Oriola family, where the wine was made. They have been making wine for an unbelievable 27 generations. It’s not only longevity that distinguishes this wonderful family, nor the obvious inherent skill with vines and wines. They also have a natural affinity with equestrian sports and in fact, their Great-Grandfather was a World Champion in 1920 and their Uncle won gold medals in show-jumping! A remarkable family!

The vineyards of the Jonquère d'Oriola family are right next to the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains, south of Perpignan, next to the Mediterranean Sea. This position, between the sea and the mountains, is ideal for the delicious, Mediterranean style of wine made here.

Over to you

Conduct your very own at home tasting experiment! Cover the labels of the bottles so you don't know which is which, and try to see if you can taste the difference between the two wines. Which one do you think spent 100 days at sea and which spent 100 days in the cellar?

Tips!

A wine that has spent 100 days at sea is likely to have aged quicker than one that spent 100 days on land. Look at the colour first: which one looks to have aged more? What about the smell? When tasting, try to identify the brighter, more open and mellow taste from the 'sea' wine.