I’m always able to taste Michel Chapoutier’s Bila Haut releases during my trip to the Rhône Valley, but due to time constraints, I struggled to get this published in time, which is an incredible shame given the quality here. All of these wines were tasted at the end of 2023, and this range continues to grow, now including two wines each from the villages of Latour de France and Lesquerde, numerous whites from the Roussillon and Collioure, a Rosé, and a Banyuls. Looking at the main cuvées, the two releases from Latour de France (Occultum Lapidem and Visitare Interiore Terrae) are both heavily Grenache-influenced, while the two releases from the more granitic soils of Lesquerde (L’Esquerda and Rectificando Invenies) are much more Syrah-driven. While the reds get all the attention, the whites in this lineup are brilliant! One only needs to put these (reds and whites) in blind tastings with wines from the Rhône Valley to understand how good they really are!