Domaine La Sobilane, Rivesaltes
Domaine La Sobilane, Rivesaltes

Domaine La Sobilane, Rivesaltes

Languedoc-Roussillon, France 1968 (750mL)
Regular price$150.00
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Domaine La Sobilane, Rivesaltes

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, but this does not taste like Port!). The Languedoc-Roussillon region has been the traditional home of these wines in appellations such as Maury, Banyuls, and 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 1968 Rivesaltes. It is entirely made up of hand-harvested Grenache Noir that was fermented and fortified in barrel before resting in large foudres for a half-century. It was discovered and bottled without any additives by Philippe Gayral in 2018. 

For gems like this, I must reiterate that it would be a crime to lose it in a cluster of wines at a party, so make sure you’re in a clear state of mind and in a quieter environment with close friends. One or two ounces should be served around 55-60 degrees in an all-purpose stem and savored slowly. Plus, because each sweet sip brings incalculable depth, power, and concentration, there’s no rush to consume your bottle: It can be enjoyed over several weeks and months if placed in the fridge with the cork tightly inserted—or further cellared for decades to come. 

Domaine La Sobilane, Rivesaltes
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France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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