Producer: Les Clos de Paulilles
Wine: Banyuls
Vintage: 1998
Country: France
Appellation: Banyuls AC
Wine Type: Dessert
Primary Varietal: 100% Grenache
Grade: A-
Designation: Must Drink
Price: $18/500 mL

As the home of one of the only wines that actually pairs successfully with chocolate, Banyuls is located so far south in the French region of Roussillon that it might as well be in Spain. In fact, many of the local residents speak Catalan and the region was a Spanish possession until 1659. And when one considers Spain’s longtime love affair with chocolate…everything begins to fall into place.

Banyuls comes by its delectable sweetness not by botrytis, ice nor even necessarily a late harvest pick. Instead, think Port and fortified wine here. Using a technique called “mutage” (created 400 years before Port crossed anyone’s lips), a neutral grape spirit is added to the must in mid-fermentation, halting any further conversion of grape sugar into alcohol. In the case of Banyuls, this injection of spirit usually takes place when the half-fermented juice still rests on the skins, resulting in a whole host of complex aromas and tastes.

So, forget the chocolate, because this bottle is really pretty much dessert on its own. A deep garnet color, basically opaque, this wine is as rich and viscous as a cup of cocoa made from the finest beans. You’ve got your rich plum and blackberry fruit, dried herbs, tobacco and leather all neatly synthesized together with ribbons of dark chocolate running throughout. Sip and savor slowly – the added spirit brings this wine up to 16% alcohol although you’ll never detect the heat.

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