Maury PDO

Maury, a natural sweet wine from Roussillon to (re)discover

The Roussillon vineyards have made a speciality of so-called "mutés" wines, i.e. wines whose fermentation is stopped during vinification by the addition of distilled alcohol. This results in natural sweet wines, of which maury is a proud representative. The result of an ancestral alchemy, this wine sublimates the grenache, in red as in white. Smooth and powerful, the wines of this AOC are perfect companions for desserts, especially when these involve dark chocolate. They are also wines that, like a port wine, can be enjoyed on their own.

General presentation of the appellation maury

Like Rivesaltes and Banyuls, Maury is an AOC of Roussillon dedicated to natural sweet wines (VDN), speciality of this vineyard of the South. Its production area is located about 30 km northwest of Perpignan, in the Pyrénées-Orientales. Protected by the Cathar castle of Quéribus, the 1,700 hectares of vines are spread out on the slopes of small hills located to the north of the Agly valley. The AOC includes various communes: Maury, as well as Tautavel, Saint-Paul-de-Fenouillet and Rasiguères.

Between the Corbières and the Pyrenees, the small vineyard of Maury produces natural sweet wines available in red and, to a lesser extent, in white. In 2011, the VDNs of Maury were joined by a new AOC Maury, a dry, still red wine that also exploits the qualities of Grenache Noir.

Other grape varieties are used in the composition of Maury VDNs. Alongside Grenache Noir, the reds include Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc, as well as Carignan, Macabeu and Syrah. The white Maurys are a blend of white Grenache, grey Grenache, Macabeu and Tourbat, locally known as Malvoisie du Roussillon; these varieties may be joined by white Muscat à petits grains and Muscat d'Alexandrie.

Characteristics of maury

The characteristics of AOC maury depend on various criteria: the grape varieties used, the blend, the terroir and, above all, the time and method of maturation. When they are aged in an oxidative environment, often in large glass tanks placed outside, the wines are said to be Amber White or Red Tuilés. In a reductive environment, protected from oxygen, we produce the Red or Garnet maury and the White maury. Generally, the latter have clearly fruity aromas, while the former are more aromatic and complex.

The colour of the red maury ranges from dense, deep ruby to orange mahogany, and even tile. The nose is always intense, marked by morello cherry, blackberry and red berries. The ageing process makes the bouquet more complex, with aromatic notes of prunes, candied fruit, dried fruit, wax, spices, roasting, cocoa, coffee, leather and nuts.

When young, white Maurys are distinguished by floral and fruit aromas such as grapefruit and apricot. With age, their colour becomes amber and candied fruits dominate their aromatic palette.

AOC maury wines can be kept for 30 years or more.

How to taste a maury

The sweet natural wine of the maury appellation can be enjoyed on its own, without any food or wine pairing. However, it is the perfect companion for many desserts. The reds go well with cakes and other chocolate sweets, especially when the chocolate is dark. Fruit tarts and pastries are also good allies. A white Maury is perfect with sugar pancakes.

Some dishes, especially sweet and savoury, go well with maury: duck with cherries or Apicius, curry, tajine... Foie gras, melon, poultry livers... are also dishes that can be accompanied by a glass of maury, as an aperitif or starter.

The wines produced in Maury are also part of the party at the time of the cheese. With a red Maury, choose blue cheeses (Fourme d'Ambert, Roquefort, etc.), fresh or mature goat's cheeses, pressed cheeses (Cantal, Basque ewe's milk cheese, Salers, etc.) and blooming cheeses (Brie de Meaux, Chaource, etc.)

These wines are best served at a temperature of 14-15°. They can be enjoyed cooler as an aperitif.