Banyuls Grand Cru 1998, ‘Cuvée Réservée’, L’Etoile

Banyuls Grand Cru 1998 Cuvée Réservée L’Etoile

Banyuls Grand Cru 1998, ‘Cuvée Réservée’, L’Etoile

🇫🇷 AOP Banyuls | Roussillon  | France
Candied dark fruit, cocoa, coffee and prune: an intense, complex Banyuls Grand Cru, aged over 30 months in old oak foudres, awarded the Grande Médaille d'Or at CERVIM 2023.
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DESCRIPTION

History

Founded in 1921, the Cave de l’Étoile is the oldest cooperative in Banyuls, renowned for its age-worthy sweet wines. The 1998 vintage, awarded the Grand Gold Medal CERVIM 2023, showcases the estate’s mastery of Banyuls Grand Cru: patiently crafted wines shaped by time, combining power and elegance.

Vinification

Hand-harvested grapes from the steep schist slopes are destemmed and crushed before mutage on the skins. A long maceration of 15 to 20 days extracts full aromatic richness and tannic structure. After pressing, the wine undergoes prolonged oxidative aging in old oak vats, far exceeding the 30 months required by the appellation, developing depth and complexity.

Tasting Notes

The nose is intense and complex, revealing black candied fruits, cocoa, coffee, prunes, and spices, evolving over time toward fig, walnut, and leather. On the palate, it is rich and velvety, balanced by a bright freshness, finishing with a long and harmonious finale. This Banyuls Grand Cru pairs beautifully with dark chocolate desserts, coffee-caramel entremets, or dried fruit cakes. On the savory side, it complements duck with figs, game birds, or blue-veined cheeses. A masterful age-worthy wine, perfect for collectors and lovers of rare moments.

banyuls de l'Etoile

CHARACTERISTICS

Country

France

Region

Roussillon

Appellation

AOP Banyuls

Vintage

1998

Grape Variety

Black Grenache

ABV

17%

Category

Natural sweet wine

Volume

75cl

Style

Balanced

Allergens

Sulfites

Storing Instructions

To drink and to keep

Ageing

Oxidative

REGION

Roussillon

France

Between sea and mountain, the vines of Banyuls, an AOC since 1936, cling to schist slopes that plunge down to the Mediterranean. This spectacular setting, bathed in sun and wind, shapes generous, intense vins doux naturels. The appellation mainly produces reds from Grenache Noir, completed by Grenache Gris and Blanc, as well as amber, tawny and rosé versions.

Banyuls comes in several styles. Banyuls Rimage, made and aged away from air, shows all the freshness of the fruit, with aromas of cherry, blackberry or blackcurrant, sometimes with a touch of chocolate. Approachable young, it shines with dark chocolate, fruit desserts and some blue cheeses. By contrast, Banyuls Traditionnel and Grand Cru go through long oxidative ageing in cask or glass demijohn, developing complex notes of walnut, coffee, spice and rancio. The Grands Crus, from old vines and aged for at least 30 months, stand out for their depth and great ageing potential.
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