NV Chateau Des Hospices Canet Petite Vermeille Rivesaltes 750 ml

On our last trip to France, we tasted one wine that we knew we couldn’t go home without. It was the Château des Hospices Canet Petite Vermeille Rivesaltes Ambré Hors d’Age.

Rivesaltes Hors d’Age is one of our favorite styles of wine, and we almost never get to drink it. It’s incredibly rare in the US. A prestigious fortified wine produced in the Roussillon region of southern France—practically in Spain—it can be made from Grenache, Macabeu, Malvoisie, and Muscat. This one is Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, and Macabeu. 

“Hors d'Age" means "beyond age," and that classification is reserved for wines that have been aged for a minimum of five years, though many producers age their wines for much longer. Marc Benassis, proprietor of Château des Hospices Canet, inherited his Rivesaltes barrels from his grandfather. The oldest ones date back more than three decades, which is why this fortified wine boasts such an incredibly complex and nuanced flavor profile.

The closest comparison we can make for Rivesaltes is Madeira. Dominated by white grapes, aged extremely long in barrel, it’s got a deep amber color and intense aromas of dried fruits, nuts, caramel, and spices. On the palate, it offers a harmonious balance of sweetness and acidity, with flavors that can include raisins, figs, walnuts, coffee, and dark chocolate. Best of all, the residual sugar, vinification process, and fortification mean that the wine is practically immortal—even after the bottle has been opened. 

Rivesaltes truly is one of the rare treasures of the wine world. We’re thrilled to bring this one to the US for the first time ever.