Domaine de Rancy

"If fame depended solely on quality, Jean-Hubert Verdaguer ought to be famous for his trove of ancient Rivesaltes. His younger Rivesaltes can be outstanding too…" David Schildkencht - The Wine Advocate

Jean-Hubert Verdaguer and his wife, Brigitte, helm Domaine de Rancy in the Roussillon, one of only a handful of quality wineries still producing exceptional Rivesaltes in the old Ambré style. This unique type of fortified wine is a Vin Doux Naturel, in which a pure spirit is added during fermentation to stop conversion of sugar into alcohol. These are complex and incredibly versatile dessert wines, typically 16% to 20% alcohol with 85-100 grams of residual sugar, and acidity varying between 6% and 8%.

Jeb Dunnuck provides a helpful explanation of the classification: "As a quick overview, there are numerous classifications of Vins Doux Naturels, most dealing specifically with the color of the wines (Tuilé, Amber, Grenat, Rimage), but at a high level, you have four categories: Rivesaltes, Muscat de Rivesaltes, Maury and Banyuls. The Rivesaltes appellation covers the entire Roussillon region, except Banyuls and Maury, which are limited to their specific villages. While the releases from Maury and Banyuls are made primarily from Grenache, Rivesaltes can include Grenache, Carignan, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Macabeu, Malvoisie, and Muscat. These Rivesaltes Ambré from Domaine de Rancy are all made from the white Macabeu grape.... [I]t’s important to realize that these wines are fully oxidized, meaning you can open a bottle and enjoy it over days, weeks, and even months with no loss in quality."

Jean-Hubert inherited the Rancy estate from his father – its tiny parcels of old vines along with its cellars filled with old, odd sized barrels. Each barrel, some as small as 12 inches in diameter, is labeled with a cryptic numerical code indecipherable to outsiders. Descending into the cellar one gets the feeling of entering a medieval alchemist’s laboratory. The long-term oak aging results in the extremely slow oxidation mentioned above, which in turn yields a practically indestructible wine.

The grapes – 100% Macabeau – come from organically-farmed vineyards. It is the addition of neutral grape spirits that prevents them from obtaining organic certification on their Vin Doux Naturels. They are hand-picked late in the season, pressed, fermented, and fortified in tank. Only the best wine is chosen for barrel-aging, and it remains in barrel for at least 4 years (and up to 60+!). The wines are bottled as needed, unfined and unfiltered, and the wine is best served at room temperature to fully appreciate the intense, complex aromas that develop in the glass. Enjoy as an aperitif with nuts, olives, and a variety of hors d’oeuvres, or of course as a dessert wine. For fans of Madeira or quality Sherry, this is a can’t miss.

Take a look at this YouTube video discussing Domaine de Rancy.