Ratafia Doyard-Mahe DM, #

A specialty from Champagne, Ratafia is the region’s fortified dessert wine. The tangy acidity, so much an important part of the taste of Champagne, confers a Madeira-like quality. It is mahogany in colour with intense nutty smoky fruit aromas. This is a complex wine with great depth – the acidity keeps it vibrant and well balanced. It was produced by arresting the fermentation of Pinot Noir with the addition of grape spirit – - the spirit used by Carole Doyard was itself distilled from wine from Doyard-Mahé’s second pressings or “deuxieme taille” wine. These can add astringency to a cuvée, so separating this cut from the purest juice is what helps Carole to make such fresh elegant Champagnes. The Ratafia was matured using a solera system established in 2005, firstly in tank then in barrel.