The Mas Blanc 2005 Collioure les Junquets offers the sort of illusive and intriguing aromatic complexity that is typical for this cuvee of unusual composition. A kelp and sea-spray like tang joins notes of plum, violets, forest floor-like humus, and aromatic green growing things. Fleshier and richer than this year’s Clos du Moulin – with undertones of salted caramel and a polished texture – this preserves an admirable, engaging sense of sheer primary, refreshing black fruit juiciness, along with fruit pit bitterness, persistently floral inner-mouth perfume, and a positively cleansing and refreshing finish. It should pay dividends in the cellar for 4-6 years. Jean-Michel Parce’s barrel regimen here required some explanation, after I was offered samples of 2007s, one of which was to my surprise entirely dominated by new wood. It transpires that certain specific barrels of Collioure Cosprons are selected by the U.S. importer – none of them new – whereas there is a single assemblage of all barrels of the other two crus, of which my samples had not been representative. Armed with that information, I was able to achieve from barrel a close approximation to the wines that will eventually appear in the U.S. market, and on which my notes and ratings are based. Parce considers 2007 an exceptional vintage, on a par with 2001 in his estate’s recent history.Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802