Looking for a different port of view?
Well the truth is, it’s not a port at all!
What in the world am I talking about? Banyuls, of course. Banyuls is a small wine-producing region hard up on France’s Border with Spain, which may explain why they do such a great job with Grenache, AKA Garnacha. This tiny appellation is responsible for one of the world’s great gifts to Chocolate lovers: the sweet wines of Banyuls, a great alternative to Port.
While the region produces sweet wines and table wines, known as Colliure, both depend on the great Grenache that grows in this warm, sunny, coastal community that drops down into the Mediterranean in dramatic fashion. It is shocking that such a beautiful place doesn’t have a more avid following. Anyone ready for a trip? Tourism has always inspired discovery. An integral part of the life of a winelover has always been trying to replicate those great experiences we enjoy as we discover new wines in new locales.
How many times have you had a great wine on vacation only to be disappointed with it on your return home? Well Banyuls is one wine that travels, and travels well. It’s also got that magical ally, Chocolate - the darker the better. Many people ask, “What wine goes with Chocolate?” An easy answer, easy because it works great, has to be Banyuls. Sweet, rich, and relatively moderate alcohol for a dessert wine, with amazing balance, giving Banyuls the perfect qualities to pair with the indulgent decadence of Chocolate.
What to expect: Grenache
Grenache is the main grape in many Rhone blends, Cotes du Rhone and Chateaunuef-du-pape. It's a grape that yields soft, lightly colored yet full wines endowed with deep notes of strawberry and raspberry. While not prone to producing particularly rich or complex wines in France, Grenache is one of the world's most widely-planted grapes, producing a unique expression where ever it is planted. It is particularly common in Spain as Garnacha, and Sardinia, as Canonnau. Sweet wines made from Grenache in both Spain and France exhibit the grape's trademark lush fruit, yet have proven to be remarkably ageworthy. Banyuls, Maury, and Rivesaltes are some of the world's finest desert wines, all based on Grenache.
Great Banyuls Doesn't Break the Bank
Chapoutier is one of the most important producers in France. They make wines that are accessible and fresh, with wonderful purity of fruit. This is a perfect introduction to the beauty of Banyuls in a full, fruity style.
Domaine de Mas Blanc makes one of the world’s greatest Dessert wines, the idiosyncratic Banyuls cuvee Dr. André Parce. This Riamge cuvee is more fruit driven, but offers a glimpse of the complexity that one gets with the Dr. Parce bottling.
