Banyuls AOC

Banyuls (AOC ) is a sweet wine from France, which is produced on the steep slopes surrounding the small town of Banyuls -sur -Mer, where meet the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean Sea. He may only be produced in the four municipalities Banyuls -sur -Mer, Cerbère, Collioure and Port -Vendres in the growing area Languedoc Roussillon. The vineyard covers about 1400 hectares.

The Banyuls belongs to the family of Vin Doux Naturel and thus is a liqueur wine.

From the not used for liqueur wine production grape of Collioure (AOC ) can be prepared, as far as the wines follow the regulations. The boundaries of this appellation are identical to that of Banyuls.

Soil and grape varieties

The vines are very barren and mineral slate floor, which allows only very low yields. The main grape variety is Grenache. At least 50 percent Grenache must be contained in a wine that may be called Banyuls. For a Banyuls " Grand Cru " it must be 75 percent. Other varieties are: Macabeo, Torbato ( here called Malvasia du Roussillon ), Muscat blanc à petits grains, Muscat d' Alexandrie, Carignan, Cinsault and Syrah. The income must not exceed 30 hl per hectare.

Production

There are harvested overripe grapes that can shrivel up like raisins already on the vine ( comparable to the maturity level of a German Trockenbeerenauslese ). To get the natural sugar of the grapes, the mash fermentation is stopped by the addition of alcohol. In this case, the wine is at least 15 percent, " aufgespritet " a maximum of 22 percent alcohol. A side effect is that the color and flavor are extracted from the grape skins faster due to the higher alcohol content. Then the Banyuls for at least ten months to mature in large oak barrels. For the " Grand Cru " there must be at least thirty months.

The goal is often the goût du rancio ( the Rancio - taste) to achieve. Due to the oxidative aging in barrel or in Gärballon the wine is exposed to all climatic fluctuations. Because of the cold in winter and heat in summer, the wine ages faster and is increasingly brown (this is true by the way both for the white as well as red wine, the color barely differ in age). It tastes very rich of raisins, nuts and plums and a long and despite the residual sugar rather dry finish. These wines are not only suitable as a dessert wine, but also as an aperitif.