Lynn from Savor the Harvest chose this month’s topic for the #Winophiles group. In her preview post, she lays out the wealth of styles that wines from Maury offer. Click here for a look at that informative piece.

As Lynn writes, the traditional style of Maury was a sweet wine and the area was very well known for their Vin Doux Naturel (VDN). This is right up my alley and my Dad’s too. For this Father’s day (don’t tell him) I’m getting him a VDN from Maury, one of my favorites. Give me a glass of sweet wine over dessert any day of the week.

Maury is a French town near the Spanish border in the Languedoc-Roussillon. Roussillon is a very ancient region with viticulture brought by the Phoenicians. The topography and mountains made it quite isolated for many centuries. It also changed hands frequently between Spain and France and still today has a unique cultural mix and grape varieties in the area. Roussillon is known for both white and reds as well as for it’s AOP denominations for its sweet wines. I love sweet wines as a category and think they are so underrated, not widely drunk, and a missed opportunity for so many that this topic gave me a chance to write about the category which excited me.

Close to the Mediterranean and Spain. The climate is hot and the soil in this area is black schist.

I choose a wine to share that is made from Grenache blanc, Grenache Gris, and Grenache Noir. Vin Doux Naturel or VDN are made by the addition of alcohol to stop the fermentation process, much like other fortified wines but then undergoes a further step.

Domaine De La Coume Du Roy  has a long and glorious history and is one of the oldest wineries in Maury. It was established in 1850 in the Agly Valley and today is run by the sixth generation of the family. In 1998, Agnes and Jean-Francois Bachelet took over the 25 hectare property. They are specialized in the VDN of Maury and Muscat de Rivesaltes.

I love sweet wine and France. I am a Francophile of longstanding. I majored in French in college, lived in Dijon, and grew up in a home where everything French was considered at a higher level. My life has led me to spend more time and thought on Italy these last 15 years but I am making my way back to France and all things French a few times a month, at least through my wine glass.

This wine is enveloping, with beautiful black fruit, dried fig, plum and a layered but not cloying mouthfeel. It is a great wine to surprise people who think you can only drink Port or Sauternes after a meal. I can’t wait to visit the Languedoc-Roussillon region. I hope to do so soon. .

Join the group live on Twitter Saturday, June 19th at 11 a.m. ET / 17:00 CET. Find the conversation using hashtag #Winophiles and/or enjoy the articles below.

• “Linguini with Tuna and White Beans and a Rose from Maury” written by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
• “Clapassade + Chateau Saint Roch Chimeres 2016”  from Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• “Sipping sweet Maury Vin Doux Naturel in strawberry season” from Linda, My Full Wine Glass
• “Coming home and finding a new home – the stories of two wines from Maury” as told by Robin from Crushed Grape Chronicles
• “The Maury Region” from Cathie at Side Hustle Wino
• “Looking at the Sweeter Side of Maury” from Susannah from Avvinare
• “Maury Savory and Sweet” shared by Jeff at Food Wine Click!
• “Two Sides of Maury in Roussillon: Sweet and Dry” from Lynn at Savor the Harvest
• “A Search for Roussillon’s Maury #Winophiles” shared by Gwendolyn from Wine Predator