Hello. The red version of this wine is really expensive in what few shops carry it. What in your opinion makes the aroma and taste of this wine stand out? (I have had the Banyuls which is like a young grandchild of a Port)

quote:

Originally posted by John in NYC:
Hello. The red version of this wine is really expensive in what few shops carry it. What in your opinion makes the aroma and taste of this wine stand out? (I have had the Banyuls which is like a young grandchild of a Port)

les rivesaltes is a town in southern france no?

The muscat is what makes the aroma and taste and you can usually find them around 20-50$.

As the muscat wines age, they pick up secondary flavors like the nuts. The sugars and acidity will also concentrate leading to a distinctive aged muscat.


As oppose to Banyuls which is the sweet red wine made from Grenache I believe.


There's a key distinction btween these wines and port though. These wines are madierized in the sun so they have all have a nutty taste. The acidity also tastes like someone took a sour grape and squeezed the hell out of it. Port, vintage ones especially, are not madierized so are usually fuller in body.

I tasted one yesterday from Domaine du Vieux Chene. It had a little bit of black truffle, walnuts, cooked raspberry, and black cherry on the nose and palate. I also noticed a bit of rancio on the nose. Rivesaltes is, as you had asked, in the south of France in Languedoc.

24 hours until the wine exams :->>><<<!