Long perceived as remnants of another time, fortified wines are now offering a remarkable return to favor. They are very attractive especially in this winter period.
The particularity of fortified wine lies in an additional step during winemaking: mutage, i.e. the addition of neutral wine alcohol. If history often remembers Portugal or Spain, it is nevertheless In France that the mutage would have been discovered, in the 13th century, by the doctor and alchemist Arnaud de Villeneuve. From this discovery were born the natural sweet wines, emblematic of the South: Banyuls, sunny and chocolaty; Maury, dark and intense; Rivesaltes, multiple and weathered by time; or Rasteau, more discreet but superbly gastronomic.
Depending on when the mutation occurs, the style of wine changes radically. Added during fermentation, alcohol stops the work of the yeasts: some of the natural sugars therefore remain unprocessed, giving rise to sweeter wines as is the case for Port.
Added after fermentation, a drier wine is obtained, whose character will depend essentially on the method of aging chosen. This is where everything comes into play: some are worked oxidatively, in contact with air, gaining notes of nuts, caramel or spices; others are raised away from oxygen, favoring freshness, minerality or the expression of the fruit.
Porto: fruity, rich, seductive.
Sherry: dry, saline, gastronomic.
Madeira: tense, acidic, eternal.
French natural sweet wines: in revival, plural, surprising.
Fortification is therefore not just a technical gesture: it is a stylistic decision, which determines the identity of the wine. Originally, fortified wines did not respond to a stylistic desire but to a logistical constraint. The addition of distilled alcohol stabilized the wine before long maritime transport.
Today, the cocktail scene owes a lot to them. White port in spritz, Sherry in highball, homemade vermouth: bartenders reintegrate them for their aromatic palette and their controlled low alcohol level. In the kitchen, pairings are emancipated: from sashimi to refined Comté to dark chocolate. Fortified wines are no longer just digestives: they are becoming table companions and creative tools.
In order to support this enthusiasm, Ô Chateau Starting in December, it will offer a Fortified wine flight, including A natural sweet wine : three glasses to discover, compare and learn about the diversity of this historical style. And to extend the experience, a dedicated tasting will be offered during the next evening of Rendezvous of the Hedonists, the January 6. A privileged opportunity to bring together curious, passionate and amateurs around these wines that cross the centuries.
