Rare discoveries like this history-rich 1946 Rivesaltes show me that, even after two decades, I still have an intense passion for the wine industry—where else can you savor a luxurious, 74-year-old family heirloom? If you ask me, experiences don’t get any more rare, intimate, and extraordinary than this. It is a remarkable wine of perseverance and antiquity from a bygone era when vin doux naturel was frequently consumed and adored by everyone. Need more perspective? This was harvested just one year after World War II came to a close. Think about that for a moment: After years of German occupation, this French family came together, hand-crafted this fortified Grenache Noir, and aged it in a single barrel for 72 years.
Today’s 1946 Rivesaltes from Domaine La Sobilane has been savored by a few of the world’s most prestigious critics, but outside of them, almost nobody has had an opportunity—except you. This is an absurdly rare chance to experience a legitimate piece of history that has outlived the winemaker, survived wars, and been preserved to absolute perfection. Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you just how extraordinarily profound the wine is: it holds a luxurious, chameleonic flavor profile like no other. Each sip brings profound depth and a finish that lasts so long it’s as if the wine physically takes you on a deeply personal, seven-decade journey of its seven-decade life. We only have 48 of these “artifacts” to share today. Enjoy.
This gem wouldn’t be in front of you without Philippe and Sandrine Gayral, a husband-and-wife treasure-hunting team who’ve spent the bulk of their careers scouring Southern France and uncovering these sacred, all-but-forgotten wine antiques. It all started roughly 20 years ago, when they stumbled upon a cache of vin doux naturel that had been aging in barrels for generations. That discovery led to a startling revelation: Dozens of families from all over Rivesaltes had been quietly preserving small stocks of wine—not for resale, mind you, but rather as family heirlooms that were siphoned off for special occasions.
After tasting the first one, Philippe dedicated a career to scouring the countryside of Rivesaltes, Banyuls, and Maury in search of these “forgotten barrels.” He would meet with the families, who would then point them to their one or two barrels from decades past. Assuming nobody cared about the wine, some estates were ecstatic when he offered to buy the barrels and bottle them for resale. Others, however, took years of convincing. And then there were some estates that would tell them the barrel in question was from another local producer, bought by a friend of a friend long ago, so they would have to follow whatever breadcrumb trail remained. If that’s not a passion project, I don’t know what is!
Southern France’s Vin Doux Naturel (VDN) was first made in the 13th century, when mutage was discovered. Put simply, this is a process where a neutral spirit is added to prematurely kill yeast and suspend fermentation, leaving a concentrated, sweet wine with elevated alcohol (essentially the same practice used to make Port). The Languedoc-Roussillon region has been the traditional home of these wines in appellations such as Maury, Banyuls, and today’s AOC of origin, Rivesaltes.
La Sobilane was a tiny property when it was acquired by bred-in-the-bone farmer Pierre Daniel in 1908 and it remained a small operation for quite some time, especially when the Great War reared its ugly head. His son, Maurice, took over in 1919, having been battle-hardened through years of serving his country in the skies as a fighter ace. From here, the property expanded and flourished. So, it would’ve been him and his two sons, Francis and George, who played the part in making today’s delicious 1946 Rivesaltes. It is entirely made up of hand-harvested Grenache Noir that was fermented and fortified in barrel before resting in large foudres for 72 consecutive years. It was discovered and bottled without any additives by Philippe in 2018.
I’ve said this a few times in the past, but with an extraordinary treasure such as this, it must be restated: It would be a crime for this to get lost in a cluster of opened wines at a party, so make sure you’re in an environment with close friends and high spirits. Sobilane’s 1946 Rivesaltes pours a deep amber gold in the glass and, coming in at 16% ABV, viscous tears cling to the glass. Give it just a few gentle swirls and aromas that have hibernated and evolved for over 70 years come roaring out: honey, quince paste, apricot liqueur, tamarind, burnt sugar, marmalade, turned earth, spiced fruitcake, nougat, orange zest, crème brûlée, caramel, and vanilla. The palate is richly layered but an impressive bolt of energy persists throughout and removes any sense of cloying weight. This provides one of the longest finishes you’ll ever have in wine. Serve around 55-60 degrees in a snifter or all-purpose stem, take a small sip, savor it slowly, and it’ll stretch for minutes—literally. Who knows how much longer we’ll have access to ancient gems like this, but we sure are thankful to have them. If opening now, this ‘46 can be enjoyed over several weeks if placed in the fridge with the cork inserted. If cellaring further, no need to rush—there’s still 1-2 decades of life to be had! Cheers.
