Definition: Black wine

A special and rare fine wine. In the Middle Ages, the English were avid lovers of black wine; with its very dense colour, Cahors wine was then welcome to enhance the colour of "clairet" wines from Bordeaux. To further increase this effect and obtain an almost black colour, the winegrowers of Cahors took to heating some of the grape bunches or musts. Keen to perpetuate the region's historical origins, Jean-Luc Baldès has revived this centuries-old winemaking method: grapes from old Malbec vines are harvested just before over-ripening, at around 13°. They are then placed on racks, heated to 50° overnight in a prune oven, then destemmed and fermented. The resulting wine is rebalanced with wine made from fresh grapes from the same plot. It is then aged for two years in barrels.

Only 3,000 bottles of this "Black Wine" are produced each year, reflecting both the past and the expertise of today. Similar in structure to Italian Amarone wines, concentrated and with great tannic strength, this wine offers aromas that balance between freshness and candied fruit, all without residual sugars, in a beautiful equilibrium. Ideal for bold sweet and savoury food pairings, and a must with game.