Gérard Bertrand : Legend Vintage Rivesaltes 1977

Tasting characteristics and tips for Legend Vintage Rivesaltes 1977 by Gérard Bertrand

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a magnificent amber hue with copper highlights, bearing witness to nearly fifty years of oxidative evolution.

Nose

The nose reveals a complex, mature bouquet, marked by aromas of roasted cocoa and dried fruits such as figs, apricots and raisins, complemented by notes of coffee, caramel and subtle touches of honey.

Palate

On the palate, this wine unfolds with beautiful aromatic richness, offering flavors of dried figs, honey, walnuts, caramel and beeswax. The balance between natural sweetness and structure brings definition, while the finish lingers with impressive persistence.

Food and wine pairings

This Rivesaltes is an ideal match for chocolate desserts, caramel-based creations, dried-fruit tarts or a selection of aged blue cheeses. It can also be enjoyed on its own at the end of a meal, for a contemplative tasting.

Serving and cellaring

Legend Vintage Rivesaltes 1977 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. This wine has reached full maturity and can be appreciated right now.

A historic Rivesaltes from Roussillon by Gérard Bertrand

The estate

Founded in 1992 by Gérard Bertrand, a former professional rugby player who became a winemaker after his father's death in 1987, the Gérard Bertrand house now stands as the world leader in biodynamic viticulture. With 930 hectares of vines spread across seventeen estates in Languedoc-Roussillon, including 830 hectares Demeter-certified, Gérard Bertrand has transformed the reputation of wines from the south of France. Named “World’s Best Winemaker” in 2023, he leads a company of three hundred employees that markets its wines in around one hundred countries. His daughter Emma is now involved in the family business’s creative and digital direction.

The vineyard

The Rivesaltes appellation spans around 4,000 hectares across the departments of Aude and Pyrénées-Orientales, in the heart of Roussillon. This area benefits from a generous Mediterranean climate and highly diverse terroirs, ranging from coastal zones near Leucate to stony plateaus, as well as the terraces of the Agly valley and the limestone hills of the Aspres. These conditions allow for excellent concentration of the grapes’ natural sugars.

The vintage

The 1977 vintage was a particularly challenging year for French viticulture, marked by severe spring frosts, cool and humid conditions during the growing season, and climatic instability at harvest. However, in the category of Roussillon vin doux naturel wines, this vintage produced balanced wines thanks to the protection provided by fortification and residual sugars.

Vinification and aging

Legend Vintage Rivesaltes 1977 was crafted using the traditional mutage technique, which involves stopping fermentation by adding neutral alcohol, thereby preserving part of the grape’s natural sugars. The wine then underwent long oxidative aging in oak barrels, followed by extended bottle aging, developing its signature aromatic complexity.

Grape variety

Grenache noir (100%)