Byrrh 1873 Rare Assemblage Aromatized Wine

Product of: France

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Rare Assemblage is the premium version of Byrrh (pronounced 'Beerr'), a brand of wine-based aperitif from Thuir in the south of France. It is based mainly on Catalan Granache Noir, Carignan and Macabeu grapes from the hillsides of Roussillon.

The grape juice is fortified with wine neutral spirit to make a mistelle at a maximum of 15% alc./vol.. This is then is aged for 5 to 15 years in oak cask to round the red grape’s tannins. (Standard Byrrh is aged for three years in large vats.)

The blend of ingredients gives natural sweetness and fruitiness. No sugar is added to Byrrh: the sweetness comes from the Muscat mistelles.

Review and Tasting

Sampled on 23/12/2013

Appearance:

(bot No. 59089) Clear, deep burgundy red.

Aroma:

Stewed berry fruit, red wine with tobacco leaf, red bell pepper, paprika spice and freshly cut cedar wood.

Taste:

Beautifully balanced and complex with rich fruit and honey sweetness countered by oak and fruit tannins, dry spicy and earthy rootyness. Peppery spice, hints of liquorice and bitter chocolate.

Aftertaste:

Flavours of coffee and toast emerge in the long fruity finish with light peppery herbal spiced oak and drying tannins.