LUC TROTTIER
Wine Director Bearfoot Bistro, 604-932-3433 bearfootbistro.com
One of my favourite styles of fortified wine comes from Banyuls, an appellation within the Languedoc-Rousillon region in the south of France. M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut is a delicious example of a Vin Doux Naturels ( VDNs), grown on rugged hills overlooking the Mediterranean. Made from 100 per cent Grenache Noir grapes that are harvested by hand when very ripe, it is then fortified with a grape spirit at just the right time to halt the fermentation process and preserve the natural sweetness. Although the fortification process is very similar to port from Portugal, wine from Banyuls has less alcohol, usually around 10 to 15 per cent, which makes it lighter and less sweet.
Bila-Haut, with its intense flavours of cassis, ripe cherries and black fruit, and a subtle cocoa finish, has a mouthfeel that is light, fresh and highly drinkable, and an ideal pairing for chocolate, like Bearfoot Bistro’s signature Quanah dark chocolate desserts and chocolate bars. Visit chapoutier.com/fr.