Synopsis, Our Opinion: A MEMORABLE wine drinking experience.
Producer/Winery: Chateau Saint Michel; Salses le Chateau, France.
Grape Variety: Grenache.
Geographic Appellation: Rivesaltes; Languedoc-Roussillon, France.
Vintage: 1945
Price: $149.00
Purchased From: Woodland Hills Wine Company, Woodland Hills, California.
Paired With: Dark chocolate
Tasting:
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Recently we had a Chapoutier Hermitage wine dinner and although we had a Vin de Paille with an apple dessert we ended the dinner with a 1945 red Rivesaltes wine and some excellent French dark chocolate. Slightly chilled before drinking. Clear, dark amber color, similar to tawny port, but retaining a tint of ruby in the light. Opened and drank, recorked and opened 24-hours later with little or no change. Very distinct candied fruit, caramel and coffee aromas. Sweet, silky and light, but fairly full-body; strong fruit (cherry, raspberry and current), caramel and prune flavors that just went on and on through a long finish. Spectacular with the last bit of apple dessert, fantastic with the dark chocolate and memorable drinking alone. For us it was much like a Malvasia Madeira in mouth-feel, maybe just a little less sweet, but the Rivesaltes had more diverse and easily discernible aromas and tastes and my palate was in “Hog Haven” with the balance of sweetness and acidity. Not ridiculously expensive for exceptional dessert wine, but truly a MEMORABLE wine drinking experience. It came packaged in its own wooden box and when you think about harvesting grapes in 1945 from an area that was just coming out of World War II, it’s really VERY SPECIAL…what more can you say about a 1945 French wine!!!
Photo from The Independent.
Alcohol Content: 18.5%
Closure: Natural cork.
UPC Code: NA
Imported by: Bordeaux Wine Locators; Tumwater, Washington.