The three colors of Vins Doux NaturelsA Vin Doux Naturel is a style of fortified wine made from grapes with a naturally high sugar content. The fermentation process is manually stopped and a neutral alcohol (from the same grapes) is added to the wine. Those grape sugars not converted to alcohol by the action of yeast provide the sweetness. The added grape spirit more than compensates for the reduced conversion of the grape sugars to alcohol.
We Tasted tonight:
2007 Clos du Gravillas "Douce Providence" Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois 
1979 Cuvée Amedee Rivesaltes
1989 Banyuls Grand Cru, L’Etoile
The palate is a delight, with its elegance, great finesse and flavors grilled hazelnut, tobacco, and cocoa blended with crystallized fruits.
It is a well balanced wine ready to serve with a chocolate dessert, coffee or a cigar...
Map of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence
The Vins Doux Naturels of the Languedoc are:
•Muscats de Frontignan
•Muscat de Lunel
•Muscat de Mireval
•Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois
•Those white wines are produced with the two Muscat varieties Muscat d’Alexandrie and the higher quality Muscat à petits grains.
The Vins Doux Naturels of the Roussillon are:
•Rivesaltes (red and white)
•Muscat de Rivesaltes (white)
•Maury (red and white)
•Banyuls (red, rose and white)
•Banyuls Grand Cru (red)
•Muscats de Frontignan
•Muscat de Lunel
•Muscat de Mireval
•Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois
•Those white wines are produced with the two Muscat varieties Muscat d’Alexandrie and the higher quality Muscat à petits grains.
The Vins Doux Naturels of the Roussillon are:
•Rivesaltes (red and white)
•Muscat de Rivesaltes (white)
•Maury (red and white)
•Banyuls (red, rose and white)
•Banyuls Grand Cru (red)
•The Muscat grapes are perhaps the oldest vitis vinifera variety in the world, native to Greece. Used in the Rivesaltes AOC for its sweet desert wine. Grenache Blanc, Malvoisie du Roussillon and Macabeo are also included in the white blends for the AOCs that do not have “Muscat” in the title.
•Red Vins Doux Naturels from the Roussillon are mainly made from Grenache and are rich and powerful in flavors of fig, coffee, black tea, hazelnut, and chocolate.
•There is 50% Grenache noir grape in the blend.
•Banyuls Grand Cru: Contains a minimum of 75% Grenache noir, considered the best variety for these wines.
•Carignan Cinsault and Syrah are also permitted.
•There is 50% Grenache noir grape in the blend.
•Banyuls Grand Cru: Contains a minimum of 75% Grenache noir, considered the best variety for these wines.
•Carignan Cinsault and Syrah are also permitted.
•They must be aged in oak for at least 30 months.
We Tasted tonight:
2007 Clos du Gravillas "Douce Providence" Muscat de Saint Jean de Minervois Taste of pineapple, floral nose, honeyed structure and lots of minerality. Delicious aperitif or served with roquefort cheese.
1979 Cuvée Amedee RivesaltesThe color is a translucent tawny brown and there is a lot of complexity to savor on the nose, from sappy maple, currant and spiced orange through to toffee and licorice.
1989 Banyuls Grand Cru, L’EtoileThe palate is a delight, with its elegance, great finesse and flavors grilled hazelnut, tobacco, and cocoa blended with crystallized fruits.
It is a well balanced wine ready to serve with a chocolate dessert, coffee or a cigar...
Map of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence
Map of the Vins Doux Naturels from the Languedoc-Roussillon
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