Cazes Rivesaltes 1954

94 points John Gilman (View From the Cellar): "The 1954 Hors d’Age is significantly darker-colored than the 1960 and shows that there is plenty of black grenache in the blend. This is a broader-shouldered and slightly sweeter style than the 1960, but equally superb on both the nose and palate. The beautiful bouquet offers up a stunning blend of brown sugar, apricot, orange peel, a touch of cinnamon stick, caramel and a marvelously complex base of soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and again very, very pure, with superb mid-palate concentration, bright acids and outstanding length and grip on the focused and utterly classic finish. This is decidedly more of a dessert wine in style than the drier 1960, or it would be utterly magical to finish up a tasting dinner with the cheese course! A great wine by any stretch of the imagination, but I have to give a very slight nod to the sentimental favorite of the 1960, which is even a tad more transparent at its slightly less intense level of sweetness. The two wines make a fascinating contrast in the variations of style of great old Rivesaltes! 2013-2060. (May/Jun 2013)"

Domaine Cazes, founded in 1895, is one of the oldest and most famous producers of Rivesaltes wines from the eponymously named Rivesaltes AOC in Roussillon. Rivesaltes, officially a "vin doux naturel," is in fact a fortified dessert wine that can be made from any combination of Grenache Blanc, Noir, and Gris, Macabéo, and to a much lesser extent Torbato (here called Malvoisie du Roussillon), as well as Muscat. Rivesaltes may taste of raisins, coffee, chocolate, fruits, or nuts and the most concentrated can, like Banyuls, be some of the few wines that happily partner with chocolate. John Gilman writes that "Domaine Cazes is one of the greatest producers of sweet wines that I have ever had the pleasure to come across...these are utterly distinct and unique wines of brilliant complexity and character, and though they may not be as well known in the wine world at large as their superb quality deserves, they are truly some of the wine world's greatest treasures."

This selection comes directly from the domaine in June 2021. 100% Grenache Noir. Aged for almost 6 decades in its original vat. This Rivesaltes expresses intense walnut aromas on the nose, firm tannins and black berries and cocoa flavors on the palate. It mixes lightness with a superb density. Alcohol 16.5%.