The Shanghailanders had the pleasure to host Laurent de Besombes-Singla a ninth generation winemaker from the Domaine Singla wine estate, which was founded by his ancestor, Michel Singla in 1760.

The vineyard is located close to Perpignan, in the Languedoc region of France, the actual vineyard covers some 50 hectares. Laurent produces powerful red wines, and continues the family tradition in making fortified wines from Rivesaltes. Two of Laurent’s red wines have received the rating of 92 and 94 from Robert Parker the 2010 Castell Vell and the 2011 Arrels Cotes-du-Roussillon.

The Singla fortified wine collection, covers vintages of over 100 years. Generally considered a dessert wine, the fortified process was developed by the legendary Knights Templar, also the first consumers of their production. These wines have been produced without interruption since the middle ages in former Knights Templar settlements in Rivesaltes.

Rivesaltes is also one of the five oldest AOC’s, created in 1936, making the Singla 1933 vintage, older than the AOC regulation itself.

The rare vintages of 1933 and 1951 have not been offered for tasting outside of the Besombes-Singla family, and through a personal relationship by Robin Saby a long time B&B member, the Shanghailanders were afforded the opportunity this past week to sample for the very first time, those wines with other Shanghailanders B&B members, to have the opportunity to sample these rare wines.

For further information on the winery follow this link http://www.domainesingla.com