YOYO
COUNTRY: France
REGION: Banyuls-sur-Mer
Laurence Manya Krief, known to most as Yoyo, has 5 hectares of old vines in Banyuls-sur-Mer delicately nestled between the mountains and the sea. After a brief career in the textiles industry in Paris, Yoyo began yearning for more connection with her work and wanted to free herself from what she described as an often “materialistic” environment. So she moved to the Banyuls, just miles near her hometown of Perpignan and purchased small plots of abandoned vines overlooking the Mediterranean ocean. By 2008 she converted her vines (primarily comprised of grenache and carignan) to be completely organic, and now maintains the steep slopes entirely by hand, horse, or mule (Uma). Yoyo’s aim to encapsulate the warmth of the Mediterranean sun, the salty breeze of the ocean, and the magic of the black schist soil, is perhaps why her wines are known to be some of the most elegant and poised of the beloved Banyuls.
More information on Yoyo can be found here
CUVÉES
“La Negra”
Region: Albéres
Grape: 90% Carignan, 10% Grenache Blanc, Gris, and Noir
Vineyard: 80 year old vines at the foothills of the Albères
Soil: granite
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: semi-carbonic maceration for 15 days
Aging: 3 months in barrel
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 1g/hl added
Akoibon
Region: Banyuls
Grape: 70% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre
Soil: Black Schist
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: carbonic maceration for 7 days in stainless steel tanks
Aging: 6 months in barrel
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 1g/hl added
La Tranchee
Region: Banyuls
Grape: %70 Grenache Noir, 30% Syrah (newly added since 2023)
Soil: Black Schist
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: carbonic maceration for 12 days in stainless steel
Aging: 6 months in barrels
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 1g/hl added
Alma
Region: Albéres
Grape: 60% Grenache (purchased fruit), 40% Mourvèdre
Soil: granite
Average Age of Vines: 80 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: carbonic maceration for 12 days in stainless steel tanks
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 1 gram of S02/hl
Arancello
Region: Albéres
Grape: Syrah (purchased fruit)
Soil: gneiss
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: direct press rosé
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 1 gram of S02/hl
Restaké
Region: Banyuls
Grape: Grenache Gris and Blanc, Carignan Gris and Blanc
Vineyard: 80 year old Grenache Gris and Blanc planted at 300m at the southern heights of Banyuls. Young vine Carignan Blanc and Gris, 6 years old.
Soil: Black Schist
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: 4 day maceration of Carignan, direct press Grenache, blended 1 week after press.
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 1 gram of S02/hl
KM31
Region: Banyuls
Grape: Grenache and Carignan in Blanc, Gris, and Noir
Soil: Black Schist
Average Age of Vines: 80 years
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: destemmed, semi-carbonic maceration for 12 days in stainless steel tank.
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: none
La Vierge Rouge
Region: Albéres
Grape: Grenache Gris, Grenache Noir, Grenache Blanc
Vineyard: 80 year old vines at the foothills of the Albères
Soil: granite
Farming: organic
Harvest: by hand
Winemaking: de-stemmed, semi-carbonic maceration for 10 days
Aging: demi-muid
Fining: none
Filtration: none
Added S02: 1g/hl added
