A bit obscure, this one.
I think it was Jancis who first drew my attention to Domaine Jorel, possibly one night when we were sharing a Romeo y Julieta outside Wetherspoons in the days before my boycott, having a smoke-ring blowing contest while they changed the Stella barrel. I found Manuel at the Lille Wine fair later that year, and loved his wines. A very nice chap, too, working - at least then - at a
garagiste level. I didn’t love the fact he wasn’t geared up for credit cards, and had to wander unsteadily to a bank before I could buy from him.
I probably bought from him for the next three years (each time forgetting he took cash only, naturally) and this bottle would have been from the last time I saw him - maybe about five years ago. He wasn’t there last November, but I’m pleased to see he has a web presence and is obviously still very much in business.
This is the last bottle of his that I had, and is really lovely. I don’t even know what’s in it - he changes the names of his cuvées frequently, so his website is no help. I’d guess Grenache and perhaps Mourvèdre, for starters. Or maybe Carignan. This is good stuff (he said, having another sip), it gives any Languedoc I’ve had a run for its money, even though Manuel is a little bit up the road from there. If you ever come across any of his stuff, buy without trepidation. And if you ever meet him, remember me to him. Just say ‘confused beardy Englishman who never had cash’.
...and no, I never did ask him if he was really Superman’s dad.
