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The question

I recently purchased two bottles of 1962 Banyuls: Domaine Piétri Géraud. I know Banyuls is similar to port and it goes well with chocolate, but how long can it last in proper storage and what else can I pair it with?

The answer

An underappreciated sweet wine, Banyuls cellars well for decades, makes a fine aperitif on the rocks and pairs delectably with a variety of desserts.

It's made in the south of France in the Roussillon region near the Spanish border. Usually red (there's a small output of white), it is, as you note, similar to port. Distilled alcohol gets added partway through fermentation to kill the yeast, leaving a residue of natural grape sugar, which accounts for the sweetness. (The Banyuls appellation also encompasses a dry, powerful red labelled Collioure, though it's not as common.) Sweet Banyuls is typically lighter than port, however, measuring about 16-per-cent alcohol compared with roughly 20 per cent for port. This gives it a more appealing profile as an aperitif, and the French often consume fresher versions over ice with a twist of lemon. There's a more regal, older style called Banyuls Grand Cru that matures for a longer time in wood, at least 30 months, and this is generally best enjoyed after a meal with dessert.

Chocolate, which tends to battle unpleasantly with most still wines, is a classic match for Banyuls. But the wine also makes a fine partner for desserts built around berries, coffee or caramel. Certain French chefs are fond of adding the wine to savoury dishes for an element of sweet richness, which acts as a bridge for pairing Banyuls with the main course, as in oxtails braised in Banyuls. Even roast leg of lamb would not be out of place.

Your 1962 should be splendid now, by the way. But in a proper cellar I'm guessing it might improve with another decade or two. No promises!

The Flavour Principle by Lucy Waverman and Beppi Crosariol recently took home top prize for best general English cookbook at the Taste Canada Food Writing Awards.

E-mail your wine and spirits questions to Beppi Crosariol. Look for answers to select questions to appear in the Wine & Spirits newsletter and on The Globe and Mail website.

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