# Banyuls Hors d'Âge Le Colloque (NV)

- **Producer:** Domaine du Mas Blanc
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** fortified
- **Grapes:** Grenache Noir
- **Region:** Languedoc-Roussillon, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 16.3%
- **Average price:** €27
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 15–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** plum, cherry, orange, coffee, chocolate, dried fig, prune, walnut, tobacco

## About this wine

Domaine du Mas Blanc is a historic estate in the Roussillon region with roots dating back to 1632. Its modern renaissance began in 1921 under Dr. Gaston Parcé, who was instrumental in establishing the Banyuls AOC in 1936. His son, Dr. André Parcé, later helped establish the neighboring Collioure AOC. The estate maintains deep historical ties to renowned winemaking families, including the Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel, from whom vine cuttings were sourced. Winemaker Jean-Michel Parcé created 'Le Colloque' in tribute to his father as an homage to the region's historical winemaking heritage.

## Interesting facts

- Vine cuttings for this vineyard were originally gifted by the famous Rhône estate Château de Beaucastel.
- The steep schist terraces feature ancient stone channels called 'les agulles' to prevent downpour erosion.
- Domaine du Mas Blanc's founder, Dr. Gaston Parcé, spearheaded the official creation of Banyuls AOC in 1936.

## Food pairing

High-sugar, fortified oxidative red wines pair best with salty blue cheeses or dark, rich cocoa desserts. The salt in blue cheese creates a harmonious contrast with the wine's sweetness, while dark chocolate matches its weight and oxidative intensity without making the wine taste thin or dry.

## Wine making process

Crafted from 100% old-vine Grenache Noir grown on steep, terraced schist slopes along the Mediterranean. The grapes are harvested by hand due to the extreme incline. Fermentation is arrested through mutage—the addition of neutral grape spirit directly during fermentation—to retain natural sugars. The wine undergoes oxidative aging in neutral oak demi-muids using a perpetual blending system. Each release combines two-thirds recent vintages with one-third older reserve wines, resulting in an average component age of eight years prior to bottling.