Wine Geek Speak: Vin de Paille
Hello Friends,
Today’s geek speak term will appeal to the sweet wine lover in you. The term vin de paille, pronounced ‘van duh pah-yuh,’ is French for ‘straw wine.’ These wines are made from grapes or grape bunches that are either hung or spread out and dried on straw mats or trays. This process allows the moisture to evaporate from the grapes, concentrating the sugars and the overall flavor profile. During the fermentation process, the sugars are high enough to craft a wine with a good level of alcohol, with enough residual sugar to make a tasty and lush dessert wine.
Grape Bunches Drying on Mats
In Italy the term for this method is called ‘passito.’ Here in
Stay tuned friends ...More to come!
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12 comments:
Really interesting post. I'm not too big a man to say that I didn't know anything about vin de paille, not even how to say it. Love learning new stuff though. Look forward to seeing your upcoming review.
Hey Ben,
I look forward to hearing if any TX producers make a wine in this style. Also, I have an easier time finding Italian wines of this style than French. I will be looking for what you find and a review, bro.
Happy Sipping!
Dezel
We make and serve a popular "straw wine" it at Doukenie Winery. Our new website doukeniewinery.com describes the 2007 blend as "half Muscat and half Riesling. It is fermented in stainless steel and aged for several months in French oak . . . . The taste becomes concentrated through the evaporation of nearly half the juice. For this reason, we bottle it in the smaller 500 ml bottles."
The inaugural vintage was made with the help of our French intern Nikolas. It has been so popular, our winemaker tells me that we might continue to make it!
Wineries in Comfort, Texas and Sour Lake, Texas make what is popularly called "Lone Star" raisin wine. I have researched this wine mindfully to get a background on our own straw wine at Doukenie. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code until 1999 forbade the making of wine from dried fruit (harking back to prohibition). The two off-shore oil workers, brothers Shawn and Rocco Bruno, who wanted to make a Sicilian raisin wine as an homage to their grandfather, appealed the ruling and won. The wineries are Comfort Cellars and Bruno and George Wines.
Hello Leanne,
Your straw wine is delicious. On a visit to Doukénie a friend picked a bottle up and we enjoyed it later that week. Hope you guys decide to continue this label. Thanks for the comment and have an excellent weekend.
Cheers :-)
Dezel
Leanne,
Thanks for the information on Texas; I will make sure Ben gets it. I may see if I can order one or two bottles for myself.
Happy Sipping!
Dezel,
Just stumbled on your site and love it. My enjoying multiple different wines and a love for learning (as I say, "practically useless" information)
I am signing up. Curious if you expirence the problem the midwest has with insects invading our wine? Love to see an article about this problem (ok I used the word love twice) I created an item, the Wine Glass Crown, I think is innovative and partial solves this problem. Take a look at my new site wineglasscrown.webs.com if your interested.
We are contemplating this style at Tarara since our comfort zone of Icewine can't be produced here so I love this topic.
Now to try a great Vin de Paille I would recommend Chapoutier. Their h'Ermitage Vin de Paille is one of the most breath taking wine experiences I have ever had. 100% Marsanne and Fermented and Aged 18 months (I think) en barrique. It is a little rich (well a lot maybe at about $150.00 per bottle, but once in a lifetime sweet wine experience.
Jordan
we're also doing one at king family vineyards (viognier and petit manseng).
even if i agree with jordan, (i'm coming from hermitage and i've done my study report on vin de paille) i think vin de paille from jura are over the top Better acidity than hermitage vin de paille, less heavy!
hard to find but very very interesting.
also you can try some passito from ramandolo in friuly, they are great!
for me in VA it's one of the best way to make desert wine (better than fake ice wine!)
cheers
Matthieu
Hello Perry & Amy,
Thanks for the visit and love your crowns. During the summer months at outdoor wine festivals bugs can be a hindrance, as well as during harvest season, when the fruit flies will easily find their way into your glass for a swim. I can see some people not preferring the protein liking the idea of your wine glass crown. Nice idea! Thanks for the visit and hope to see you back again soon.
Cheers :-)
Dezel
Hello Jordan,
Curious, which variety or varieties would you use if you pursue this method. Personally, I think its one of the better options for the state producers who wants to go the dessert route. Not too many examples though.
I will try to find that wine, hopefully I can find a good sale [LOL]. It sounds fantastic, bro! Thanks for the visit.
Dezel
Hello Matthieu,
Cat’s out the bag! I purchased a bottle during my last visit to King Family and that is what I will review. I may hold out and share it with my wine-making pal who is thinking about making one. Thanks for the recommendations, man, I will seek those out too. I have not had luck finding any Vin de Paille wines at local wine shops. I may have to use the internet. Totally agree w/ you on the ice wine topic as it relates to Virginia. Thanks for the visit and congrats on top honors at the 2010 Governors Cup Competition. Have a great week.
Dezel
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