Consolation

We were lucky enough to meet Andy Cook several years ago when we were competitors in the Scottish wine trade. At that time he was quite scruffy but totally into wine, the technical side of how it was made and was so very keen to have a go himself. Several years on and Andy is still quite scruffy but he has followed his dream. He studied oenology in New Zealand in 2005 at Lincoln University, one of the worlds most famous wine schools and is now making some stunning wines for himself in Collioure under the guiding hand and friend Phillipe Gard of Coume del Mas.

Based in Cousperon with his now wife Kirsten he has started to make some stunning wines with real depth, complexity and passion. They are easily some of the best reds and whites we have come across from Southern France in a long time and all offer stunning value and are great food wines too.

Keep an eye out for Andy and his wines as there is no doubt that they will be on the front of Decanter some time in the near future...

Each cuvée is available only in very limited quantities and are genuinely hand crafted from start to finish, ensuring contact with the developing wine as much as possible. Wines are only released when Andy thinks they are ready and fining and filtration is kept to a minimum. As such these wines might leave a slight deposit in bottle.

‘Catala’ Collioure Blanc, Consolation 2008
This is a rich and textured wine. The honey-scented tropical fruits interplay with liquorice and minerality, and the oakageing provides a backbone of spice and coconut. Full- bodied and characterful, this wine accompanies good poultry, game
birds, rich soups and stews.

‘The Dog Strangler’ Collioure Rouge 2008
The old name for Mourvèdre was ‘The Dog Strangler’, for its ferocious tannins. The wine is 100% Mourvèdre. The very best grapes were crushed into an open new oak barrel and worked heavily during a six week maceration to give a big, bold and structured wine that was subsequently aged in an old oak cask.

Mourvèdre Rosé, Collioure Rosé 2009
A complex wine - wild fermented in barrel to add biscuity, savoury characters to the bright berry fruits. A full-flavoured wine suited to fine seafood, it possesses length and balance very rare in a rosé.

‘Armistice’ Late Harvest Syrah, VdP de la Cote Vermeille 2007 (50cl bottle)
Vin Naturellement Doux
Exceptional weather conditions produced very ripe grapes in perfect health this vintage. Sugars concentrated in the shrivelled grapes allowed a slow natural ferment continued in liquid phase in barrel for about a year. With around 60g/L residual sugar to balance the supple tannins, this wine is a true rarity.

‘Antique’ Muscat, Rivesaltes 1996 (50cl bottle)
Sweet white was aged for 13 years in old Armagnac casks, producing this dessert wine of fantastic concentration and unique flavour. Toffee and raisins on the nose, the palate is nonetheless fresh and not at all cloying. Mulled wine, walnuts and furniture polish all balance perfectly and the flavour goes on and on.