Buy Banyuls Wine
Unique among the vins doux naturels of Roussillon, all Banyuls wines are made predominantly of Grenache's many variants. Grenache Noir, the most respected, makes up the majority of Banyuls wines. By law it is a minimum of 50% of the blend, and 75% of the blend for Grands Crus wines. The pink-skinned Grenache Gris is next in importance, followed by Grenache Blanc and other local varieties. While the Muscat grapes are permitted, they can be present only in very small proportions.
buy banyuls wine
The region itself, located in the far southern corner of Roussillon on the border of Spain, includes about 1,000 hectares of fully-exposed, sun-drenched, Mediterranean-facing terraced vineyards. These punishing conditions result in shriveled berries and concentrated juice, whose fermentation process must be arrested with fortification (locally called mutage) when the must reaches 15% alcohol. A finished Banyuls is typically about 16% with some residual sugar; without mutage, it would end up a dry wine with closer to 19% alcohol.
Some producers deliberately expose their wine to the harsh Mediterranean sunlight, set outside in glass demijohns, for an effect called rancio, similar to the effect of maderizing, or giving an overripe (but appealing) character. The bouquet on Banyuls wines typically includes aromas of baked or dried fruit and sweet spices. Red versions have the tell-tale Grenache aroma of sweet, spiced strawberries. Banyuls wines must be aged for 12 months in wood, or 30 months in the case of Grands Crus Banyuls.
Made at the La Guinelle vinaigrerie above the hamlet of Cosprons, overlooking the bay of Paulille on the Mediterranean, this vinegar is made slowly and uses only Banyuls sweet wine, an AOC fortified apéritif or dessert wine made from 50% and up to 75% Grenache grapes from local vineyards. Aged outdoors underneath the Mediterranean sun, this Banyuls red wine vinegar has a vibrant red colour and delightful aroma of berry fruits. It has become a staple in our kitchen where we drizzle it over our everyday salads, add it to slow-roasted vegetables in the oven, marinate our herrings and anchovies with it, splash over grilled meats and fish and sprinkle it over strawberries and other berry fruits.
About La Guinelle We are proud to be the sole UK distributor for La Guinelle vinegars. These amazing vinegars are made by Nathalie Lefort in her charming open air vinaigrerie In Cosprons, a hillside village near Port-Vendres, overlooking the rocky Cote Vermeille coast close to Spain. Nathalie bought the small house at the end of a dusty lane in 1999 and soon after decided to revive the lost art of making artisan vinegar outdoors. Her philosophy is simple - " You need good wine to make great vinegar and you let nature do the rest." She uses the famous fortified red Banyuls dessert wine from local vineyards for her core vinegars, plus she also makes some limited production single grape varietal vinegars. Everything is done outdoors "en plein air", using an organic double fermentation process where the wines and vinegars are exposed to natural airborne bacteria in oak barrels for up to 8 months before further ageing in glass demijohns that are shaded from the sun. Discovered by top French chefs, we hope they will also find a spot in your kitchen as a great ingredient to add to favourite recipes, enhance many sauces, gravies and as a finishing ingredient used in the same way as a good quality extra virgin olive oil drizzled onto a dish.
Sweet Banyuls on LanguedocWineshop : The Banyuls and Banyuls Grand Cru appellations are Vins Doux Naturels (sweet natural wines). They are produced by the addition of neutral grape alcohol to must after pressing to stop the fermentation and conserve part of the natural sugar from the grapes. Banyuls Grand Cru wines are produced from 75% black Grenache grapes and are aged in oak casks or barrels which develop subtle aromas of candied fruit, moka, tobacco, vanilla and coffee beans.
Domaine de la Rectorie Thérèse Reig Red wine owns a very dark robe, almost black. Its powerful nose evokes immediatly red fruits and liquorice. In Mouth, beautiful velvety material, a lot of fruits, great acidity and a perfect balance. An amazing "gluttony" to taste as soon as possible !
Spread out on narrow and steep terraces, the Banyuls Appellation overhangs the Mediterranean sea.More than two thousand years old, the vineyard is rooted in a stony schist soil and benefits from exceptional atmospheric conditions. Moreover, the rare stormy showers which water this exceptional land, still hand worked, are quickly evacuated by an unique and efficient system.It is only after the fortification, a technique devised in 1285 by Arnau de Vilanova, which stops the fermentation, that the Banyuls wines get their Appellation and their seal of approval.
Colour: from garnet red to mahogany according to the age.Nose: powerful, balancing between black fruits and stewed fruits subtly brought by cocoa aromas.Palate: sumptuous balance between the solar strength of the wine and the fineness of its tannins. It has a great persistency.
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A fruity, rich fortified-wine from the far south of France, Banyuls is made similarly to well-known fortified wines like Port: by adding grape brandy to the red wine from Grenache grapes. The end result is a lusciously sweet wine that is bursting with rich dark fruits.
Clos des Paulilles is based in a small pretty Mediterranean seaside village just north of the Franco-Spanish border. The vineyard was established in 1800 and acquired by Cazes in 2012. Collioure 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 in France. The soils are a schist, on very steep terraces and rolling hills, totalling 90 hectares. The estate works with biodynamic viticulture, aiming for natural balance through biodiversity and minimal intervention.
By choosing to buy from us, you start on an exciting journey of exploration with like-minded people who love wine. Our list constantly evolves and anything we try and love, we will shout about! Over the years we have built up many wonderful relationships with producers around the world, and rather than loose our European connections completely, we will endeavour to showcase them through our fantastic Wine Club subscription scheme.
The Gérard Bertrand Group is the spearhead of a viticulture committed to a better future led by its founder, the eponymous winemaker. With languedoc's biodynamic reference vintages, we create great wines with all the nuances of their terroir. Known for his great talent as an assembler as well as for his audacity and creativity, he and his teams work to make wines from the south of France shine all over the world.
Bila Haut Banyuls - The Chapoutier family have been making wine in the Rhône Valley since 1808, but it is since 1990 when Michel Chapoutier took over that the wines really began to speak of their origin. Michel Chapoutier believes in allowing each parcel of land to make the best wine it can naturally and so much of his estate is farmed biodynamically.
Colour: from garnet red to mahogany according to the age.Nose: powerful, balancing between black fruits and stewed fruits subtly brought by cocoa aromas.Mouth: sumptuous balance between the solar strength of the wine and the fineness of its tannins.It has a great persistency with sweetness which develops greedily.
This fortified, dessert wine has been produced since the 13th century in the French region of Roussillon. Banyuls is predominantly made from different varieties of Grenache grapes, though Carignan, Muscat (only in small amounts), Macabeu, Mourvedre, and Tourbat can also be used. Although it is best known for full-bodied red wines that are characterized by exquisite aromas of cooked fruit, prunes, raisins, and cocoa, Banyuls also comes as a white wine that usually displays notes of pears, honey, and acacia. Classified as vin doux naturel, naturally sweet wine, Banyuls wines typically have a dense texture, complex aromatic profile, and well-balanced acidity and sweetness. They are best enjoyed as an aperitif, but they can also pair with desserts, semi-sweet or dark chocolate, or coffee, as well as dry fruits, foie gras, game, and cheese.
Four hundred years before Portugal began producing Port, an alchemist in France discovered the method, known as mutage, of creating fortified wines. Yes, in 1284 A.D., a fellow who dabbled in magic in an effort to turn ordinary metals into gold changed the course of wine history. 041b061a72