Oorain Victoria 2006, joannasimon.com. 14th May 2010
This weird and wonderful sweet red wine from Eric Fabre's Chateau d'Angles estate in La Clape, Languedoc is aromatise a l'erable naturel - delicately sweetened with maple syrup.
But it is not fortified (unlike vin doux naturel), so alcohol is only 13%. Its syrah with a little grenache, tastes of dried figs, rich fruit cake and spice and is rounded and velvety. It's medium-sweet, and is delicious with dark chocolate (66-72% cocao solids). The idea came from Fabre's cousin, chocolatier Olivier Oorain.