What do you get for the wine lover that has everything and is turning 60? How about a bottle of something even older? Say, from 1945?
I went into the Wine House, one of my regular haunts, and headed right to the section on the left wall as you face the back. There, they keep old and unusual treasures of Ports, Sauternes, and other sweets, as well as lots of older magnums of Bordeaux. They have some sweet red wines there from a little town in the Roussillon called Maury (French link) from 1945 and 1928 that are suprisingly affordable for wine that old. And the most amazing thing is that these wines from Cave de Maury have been recently bottled, so they look brand new, and have perfect corks. And they're ready to drink! Such a treat for a party, because most people I know, even the ones who really know a lot about wine, haven't had any wines as old as a '45.
Maury is very close to the better known wine village of Banyuls and is best known in France for its feudal castle, Quéribus, perched on high in the rocks above the town. For an in-depth look at how these wines are made and other regional wines, check out this excellent link to the Wine-Pages.
As for the wine, it had a lovely rosy color, tinged brown with age. The wine was vibrant and still very much alive. The only thing I can compare it to is a Banyuls, but I have never thought Banyuls to be a very sophisticated beast. The sweetness is often cloying and the fruit intense. Give this style of wine 60 years or so to mature, and it gets transformed into something really lovely and balanced. The raisiny flavors turn more complex, and gentle oxidation makes it slightly sherried. It was made with Grenache Noir grapes, popular in the south of France, for Châteauneuf-du-Papes as well as the Garachas of neighboring Spain.
I didn't think the wine was fortified, as it was only 16% alcohol, but apparently, a small amount of neutral spirits are added to stop fermentation and keep the residual sugar. This process is called "Mutage" and the end product is usally labeled as sweet vins doux naturels.
I just checked the Wine House, and they still have some more, and still have 1928 Maury and 1947 Banyuls, all affordable.
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