Department 66 Others

Department 66 Others is a full-bodied Roussillon red blend from southern France bottled at 15.2% ABV in a standard 750ml format. The 2015 vintage earned 90+ points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, with reviewer Jeb Dunnuck calling it a "rich, supple, beautifully textured effort that has classic Maury flair." Created by winemaker Dave Phinney — the mind behind The Prisoner — this cuvée was specifically designed to showcase the "other" grape varieties grown on his Roussillon estate beyond the flagship Department 66 Grenache.

Quick Facts: ABV: 15.2%  |  Origin: Roussillon, France (Côtes Catalanes)  |  Red Blend  |  Winemaker: Dave Phinney

Production & Heritage

Department 66 takes its name from the administrative division — département — of Pyrénées-Orientales in France's Roussillon region, where Dave Phinney sources fruit from old, head-trained vines around Maury. The terroir is dominated by black schist soils with small deposits of granite and limestone in red, rocky ground locally known as argile. This crystalline, heat-retaining schist — geologically similar to Spain's Priorat — reflects daytime warmth back to the vines at night, pushing ripeness while preserving acidity. Yields are extremely low, averaging roughly half a ton per acre, producing dark and concentrated fruit. The 2018 vintage blends 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and 5% each of Carignan, Lledoner Pelut, and Mourvèdre. The wine ages for 18 months in 30% new French oak barrels followed by an additional five months of bottle aging before release.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: The nose opens with brooding dark fruit — boysenberry, marion berry, and blue-toned compote — layered over wet slate and dark chocolate. Beneath those primary notes, dried lavender, garrigue, and a subtle red leaf tea quality emerge as the wine breathes.

Taste: The palate is expansive on entry, with a wave of ripe black and red berry fruit framed by grainy, structured tannins. At mid-palate, star anise, confectioners' chocolate, and black rum cake flavors develop alongside a schist-driven mineral streak. The texture is rich and velvety, carrying weight without losing definition.

Finish: The finish is long and cedar-kissed, with lingering dried herb and dark chocolate notes tapering slowly. A thread of bright acidity keeps the conclusion balanced despite the wine's considerable body.

How to Drink Others

Given its 15.2% ABV and dense structure, this wine benefits from 30 to 60 minutes of decanting and is best served slightly below room temperature, around 60–65°F. It drinks well on its own or alongside rich food. In a Sangria Roja, the concentrated dark fruit and spice carry through citrus and brandy without losing character. A Kalimotxo — the Basque red wine and cola cocktail — works surprisingly well here, as the wine's intensity and sweetness hold up to dilution. For a French spin, use it in a simple Vin Chaud (mulled wine) where the existing chocolate and spice notes amplify warming winter aromatics.

Best For

• Impressing a dinner party with a bold, conversation-starting French red
• Gifting a wine enthusiast who appreciates old-vine Roussillon or southern French blends
• Pairing with hearty winter dishes like braised short ribs or cassoulet
• Exploring Dave Phinney's winemaking beyond his California portfolio

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Others taste like? Department 66 Others delivers a rich, full-bodied profile dominated by ripe dark berries, boysenberry, and dark chocolate, with underlying garrigue, dried herbs, and a mineral edge from schist soils. The texture is velvety with firm tannins and a long, cedar-laced finish.

How does Others compare to the flagship Department 66 Grenache? The flagship D66 is a Grenache-dominant expression that foregrounds that single variety, while Others was created specifically to highlight the estate's supporting cast — Syrah, Carignan, Lledoner Pelut, and Mourvèdre — blended with Grenache. The result is a darker, more structured wine with additional tannic grip and spice complexity compared to the pure Grenache bottling.

Is Others good for sipping on its own? Absolutely — its layered aromatics, velvety texture, and long finish make it a rewarding wine to drink neat, though decanting is recommended to let the dense structure open up and reveal secondary herb and mineral notes.

Where is Others made? Department 66 Others is produced in the Roussillon appellation of southern France, specifically from vineyards around Maury in the Côtes Catalanes sub-appellation of the Pyrénées-Orientales département. The vineyards sit on black schist soils at the eastern edge of the Pyrenees.

What foods pair well with Others? Braised lamb shanks complement the wine's dark fruit and garrigue character. Duck cassoulet matches its weight and herbal complexity. Aged Comté or Manchego cheeses echo the mineral, savory notes. Dark chocolate desserts mirror the cocoa tones on the palate. Grilled merguez sausages work particularly well, bridging North African spice with southern French terroir.

What sizes does Others come in? Department 66 Others is available in the standard 750ml bottle format.

Is Others worth the price? Others positions as a mid-premium Roussillon red, sitting above everyday southern French blends but below top-tier Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Priorat bottlings. With 90+ points from Wine Advocate, old-vine fruit, and 18 months of French oak aging, it delivers notable concentration and complexity for its price tier — strong value for a wine of this structure and pedigree.

Why Others?

What separates Department 66 Others from the crowded field of southern French reds is the combination of extreme terroir and deliberate winemaking intent. Half-ton-per-acre yields from gnarled, head-trained vines rooted in heat-retaining black schist produce a level of concentration that most Roussillon bottlings at this price point simply cannot match. Dave Phinney built this cuvée to give varieties like Syrah, Carignan, and Lledoner Pelut — often relegated to blending roles — a showcase of their own alongside Grenache. The 90+ score from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate confirms the result: a dark, finesse-driven wine with unmistakable Maury character and serious depth.