Corbières Claude Mercier 1966
The Corbières Claude Mercier from the 1966 vintage is a French wine classified as a Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure. It was produced under the Claude Mercier name by the merchant house Les Maîtres du Chai de Saint Jean des Vignes. This particular release was distributed by Conal, who served as the exclusive importers and general agents for the entire Italian market.
The wine originates from Corbières, a large and mountainous area located southwest of Narbonne, situated between the Mediterranean Sea and the Pyrenees. The climate here is distinctly Mediterranean, characterized by warm, dry summers, mild winters, and over 300 days of sunshine annually. The vineyards are shaped by two contrasting winds: the dry northwestern Tramontane and the humid southeastern Marin. The terroir is highly diverse, featuring soils composed of limestone, clay, schist, sandstone, and marl. Red wine production in this area is traditionally driven by grape varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Cinsault, with the area being particularly recognized for its old vines.
Corbières is closely associated with the broader Languedoc-Roussillon region. Roussillon itself lies in the southernmost part of France along the Catalan border with Spain, stretching down from the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean coast. This region boasts a distinct Catalan culture and identity, representing one of France's oldest wine-producing areas. It features the warmest and driest climate in the country, with steep, terraced vineyards planted on soils of schist, gneiss, granite, and limestone.
The history of the wine
Below, you can delve into the history of this wine — its producer, grape, area, and region.
Roussillon
Roussillon lies in the far south of France along the Catalan border with Spain from the Pyrenees down to the Mediterranean and, together with Languedoc, forms the larger administrative region of Languedoc-Roussillon (now part of Occitanie). The area has its own distinct Catalan culture and identity and focuses on 14 AOCs and two IGPs, grown from 24 permitted grapes.
The area produces 80 percent of France's Vins Doux Naturels (fortified sweet wines) under the appellations Banyuls, Banyuls Grand Cru, Maury, Rivesaltes and Muscat de Rivesaltes, mainly from Grenache Noir, Gris and Blanc as well as Muscat. The dry wines come from Côtes du Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon Villages, Collioure and Maury Sec, based on Carignan, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. The climate is France's warmest and driest, with steep terraced vineyards on slate, gneiss, granite and limestone. The style ranges from powerful, spicy dry reds with ripe dark berries, garrigue, liquorice and pepper, to the sweet, concentrated Banyuls wines with raisin, fig, cocoa, coffee and nuts. The area is known as home to some of the world's most distinctive fortified sweet wines and one of France's oldest wine cultures.
When this wine was made, the world looked very different. Here are some of the stories that unfolded while this bottle quietly aged in its cellar.
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How it handles
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Storage
Store the bottle horizontally at 12–14°C and avoid direct sunlight, vibrations, and temperature fluctuations.
Opening
Allow the bottle to stand upright for 24–48 hours before opening to allow sediment to settle. Use a professional corkscrew and open carefully.
Enjoyment
Serve at 17–18°C and be patient – there is a great difference in how and how quickly wines open up when they are aerated.
GUIDE TO THE GOOD WINE EXPERIENCE
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