Fortified wine#Vins doux naturels

Vin Doux Naturel is a French, fortified sweet wine from the family of liqueur wines. Literally translated, the term naturally sweet wine.

In this southern French specialty is the fermentation of the wine, so the conversion of existing in the pressed juice of the grape sugar into ethanol, stopped by the addition of high-proof drinking alcohol.

Unlike Vin Doux Naturel durchgegorenem wine based on the fact that much remains of the original natural sweetness of the grapes in the wine by stopping the fermentation with alcohol. See also residual sugar.

The method of manufacture was discovered in the 13th century by the chemist and scholars of the University of Montpellier, Arnaud de Villeneuve. In France it is called mutagens.

In contrast to Port Wine and Madeira Vin Doux Naturel has the (short: VDN) a slightly lower alcohol content 15-18 % by volume.

The residual sugar content is at least 45 g / liter, but may rise in certain Muscat varieties to more than 100 g / l. Depending on the origin, the Grenache, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, Macabeo, Tourbat, Muscat blanc à petits grains and Muscat d' Alexandrie admitted.

The wines produced from the fruity muscatel varieties usually come relatively early on the market, other varieties are extended up to 30 months in wooden barrels and have a very high life expectancy of 40 years or more. They often require several years aging period to reach a harmony of taste between alcohol and sweetness.

Appellations, Vins Doux Naturel in which are produced are Banyuls, Rivesaltes, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Maury, Muscat de Beaumes -de -Venise, Muscat de Saint -Jean -de- Minervois, Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat de Mireval, Muscat de Lunel, Muscat du Cap Corse and Rasteau.