Banyuls, Domaine De Valcros, Rimage, Languedoc France

Tasting Note

A sweet, silky red dessert wine with extraordinary aromas of cherry, blackberry & blueberry jam, with just a hint of mocha. The palate follows this with summer pudding and dark chocolate notes, black cherry and raisin bolstered by a long, warming finish.

Best served slightly chilled at 12–14°C. Once opened, it can keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

Grapes

100% Grenache Noir.

How to Drink

Serve lightly chilled alongside blue cheese, rich chocolate, mince pies, christmas pudding or even with some savoury dishes like venison with chocolate sauce. In the colder months then simply by itself next to the fire works too!

Producer Information

The vineyard was established in 1800 and acquired by Cazes in 2012. Domaine de Valero's is located in a bay between Collioure and Banyuls and is considered to have some of the finest wines in the south of France, an unsurprising fact when you realise that its yields are some of the lowest! The soils are a schist, on very steep terraces and rolling hills, totalling 90 hectares. The vineyards of Banyuls have some of the strictest Appellation laws in France, including a complete ban on irrigation and the prohibited use of tractors, preferring the work of man and mule - fun fact the laws even state that the mules have to be born within the appellation itself!

The estate works with biodynamic viticulture, aiming for natural balance through biodiversity and minimal intervention.

Production Information

This style of wine – called “Rimage” – is aged in tank rather than barrel to preserve the freshness and fruitiness of the grape. It’s a classic expression of the Banyuls AOC, and a fine alternative to Port for those who enjoy something a little different.

By law the grapes harvested for Banyuls must contain 254 grams of sugar per litre. The hand-selected grapes are then de-stemmed, fermentation is stopped by addition of grape brandy and the wine continues to macerate on the skins for a further three weeks before being aged in tanks for about a year.