Banyulsvins doux naturelsMuscatsRousillonRivelsaltesBanyulsColliourePierre Gaillard Banyuls

2002 Pags Banyuls15Jean BaillsMathieuBaills Gaillard

90 % Grenache noir, 10 % Grenache gris.

Banyuls 80g/l 99%30hldemijohn

4,000

For the uninitiated, Banyuls are vins doux naturels, fortified sweet wines, akin to their own Muscats and similar to, but a step above, the Rivesaltes produced in the rest of Roussillon. These delicious sweet wines, some of the best kept secrets in the portfolio, hail from parcels on the spectacular schist terraces that hug the coastline as it twists around the Mediterranean between the little ports of Banyuls and Collioure. Pierre Gaillard had always been fascinated by the rugged beauty of the Banyuls countryside as by the huge potential of the terroir. In 2002, he purchased the old estate of Pags and went into partnership with Jean Baills and his son Mathieu, owners of a 15ha vineyard in Banyuls. The combination of Baills knowledge of the terroir and Gaillards talents as a winemaker, as well as a well-equipped cellar has resulted in a rejuvenation of both the vineyards and the wines.

Country of Origin:
France

Type:
Red/Rouge (Still)

Grape Varieties:
90 % Grenache noir, 10 % Grenache gris.

Vinification:

Hand-picked harvest. Fermentation in vats. The traditional red Banyuls is a blended vintage. When about 80 g/l of residual sugar is left over, the wine is muted with pure alcohol (99 % vol.). The wine is then matured in a 30 hl cask or a glass demi-john left out in the sun to provoke oxidation, and therefore quicker ageing.

Production:
4,000 bottles

Tasting notes:
This rancio develops prune, dried fruit and gingerbread aromas. Offers good length with coffee and walnut notes on the finish.