Natural Sweet Wine

A Rivesaltes Ambré starts with very ripe grapes: the must holds at least 252 grams of sugar per liter, and the yield is set at 30 hectoliters of must per hectare (about 320 US gallons per acre). Irrigation is banned here, and the vines are mostly head-trained (gobelet) and pruned short to stand up to drought and wind.

A Color Term Required on Every Label

Every Rivesaltes carries one of four terms: ambré, tuilé, grenat or rosé. It appears on the label in letters the same size as the appellation name, and each term has its own grapes, aging and color.

Grenat is made from Grenache Noir alone and ages away from oxygen to keep its red and black fruit aromas; rosé is bottled young. Tuilé and ambré share the same main grapes: Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Grenache Noir, Macabeu and Tourbat. Muscat à petits grains and Muscat of Alexandria can round out the blend, up to 20%.

The line between those two is drawn in the lab. A tuilé must contain Grenache Noir and reach a color intensity of at least 2.80; an ambré stays at 2.50 or below. In the glass, ambré shows golden to coppery glints, while tuilé takes on the color of terracotta tile.

Glass Demijohns, Large Casks and Barrels: How Ambré Is Aged

Ambré owes its color, and so its name, mainly to aging. The wine stays in an oxidative environment at least until August 31 of the second year after harvest, which means at least 24 months, and can only be sold to consumers from September 1 that year.

Each producer picks the vessel: tank, large oak cask (foudre), barrels sometimes a century old, or glass demijohns left outdoors in sun and cold alike. The vessel and the method, more or less oxidative, shade the color and aromas from one wine to the next.

This aging gives ambré its evolved aromas: Roussillon’s wine council lists preserved orange, spiced cake, dried fruit, caramel and sweet spices. Once ready, the wine goes into glass bottles or airtight, vacuum-sealed containers of 5 liters or less.

Rivesaltes, From Town Name to Appellation

The decrees of August 6, 1936 recognized several vin doux naturel appellations, including three neighbors: Côtes du Haut-Roussillon, Côtes d’Agly and Rivesaltes.

In 1972, after the success of Muscat de Rivesaltes, those three were brought together under the single name Rivesaltes. The town owed that choice to its central position in the department, its railroad and its many wine merchants.

The name means “high banks” in Catalan. Its reputation goes back centuries: in a letter dated March 15, 1717, the Maréchal de Villars thanked his correspondent for “your Rivesaltes wine, which we find very good.”

Rivesaltes Ambré FAQ: Tourbat, Alcohol and a Savory Pairing

What is Tourbat, the grape in Rivesaltes Ambré?

Tourbat is a white grape from Roussillon, known locally as Malvoisie du Roussillon. It can go into a Rivesaltes Ambré on its own or blended with Grenache and Macabeu. The Brousse law of July 15, 1914 already listed it among the grapes for vins doux naturels.

Why is Rivesaltes Ambré at least 15% alcohol?

Rivesaltes Ambré is at least 15% alcohol because it is fortified during fermentation. Neutral grape spirit of at least 96% is added, equal to 5 to 10% of the must volume. The wine keeps at least 45 grams of sugar per liter, and its total alcohol, counting that sugar, reaches at least 21.5%.

What savory dish goes with Rivesaltes Ambré?

Rivesaltes Ambré works well with a sweet-and-savory dish such as a pumpkin and Gruyère galette. The wine’s sweetness meets the squash, and its notes of preserved orange and spice answer the cheese. This fall pairing is recommended on the Roussillon wine council’s website.

Where can you buy Rivesaltes Ambré direct from the winemaker?

You can buy Rivesaltes Ambré direct from the winemaker on Avenue des Vins. Every wine’s page gives the name of its producer.

See also: AOC Maury - AOC Côtes du Roussillon - IGP Côtes Catalanes