Fortified Wines

Fortified wines come in many styles: what unites them is the addition of distilled grape sprit (or brandy) to still wines to raise the alcohol level, usually to 15-20%.

The two best known styles are sherry and port, the former from Spain and the latter from Portugal, and we will always have a selection of both.

We have a particular focus on the wonderful Vins Doux Naturels of the south of France. These are made by stopping the fermentation of very ripe grapes, part way through its course, by the addition of alcohol (a process known as mutage); thereby preventing the yeasts from working, and leaving a fortified wine with plentiful natural grape sugar and anywhere between 15 and 17 degrees of alcohol. Muscat de Beaumes de Venise is perhaps the best known example. Rivesaltes VDNs are named after the town near Perpignan, but can be made over a relatively large area, either eponymously from Muscat or a wide range of other white grapes such as Grenache Blanc and Malvoisie. Certain styles are made from red grapes, usually Grenache Noir: two appellations are Maury in the Agly Valley west of Perpignan, and Banyuls, based on the port near the Spanish border.

We may also offer examples of fortified Muscat from Australia - a superb and historic style.

Domaine Fontanel, Maury Grenat, 2021

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Domaine Fontanel, Maury Grenat, 2021
Domaine Fontanel, Maury Grenat, 2021

Made from a single parcel of 70 year-old Grenache vines, aged in barrel for 18 months, it...

Style

Light > Full

OriginFrance

RegionRoussillon

ColourRed

ABV17%

Bottle75cl

CodeFON621

GrapeGrenache

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Fontanel, Rancio Sec, 2018

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Fontanel, Rancio Sec, 2018
Fontanel, Rancio Sec, 2018

A stunning, rare-as-hens'-teeth, deliberately oxidised fortified, dry wine. Soft, golden...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionRoussillon

ColourWhite

ABV18%

Bottle75cl

CodeFON818

GrapeGrenache Blanc, Grenache Gris & Macabeu

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Fontanel, Rivesaltes Ambre, 2017

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Save £35.93

Jancis Robinson
Fontanel, Rivesaltes Ambre, 2017
Fontanel, Rivesaltes Ambre, 2017

This Vin Doux Naturel (literally naturally sweet wine - see below) is one of the most...

Style

Dry > Sweet

OriginFrance

RegionRoussillon

ColourWhite

ABV16%

Bottle75cl

CodeFON917

GrapeGrenache Blanc

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