Vin Cuit – A Provencal Tradition
The origin of Vin Cuit lies in the vinyards around Aix-en-Provence and Mont Sainte-Victoire. A fortified wine made without added alcohol, it is vinified using a unique, artisanal method in whch the wine is ‘cooked.’
After the grapes are pressed, the must – the fresh juice, including the skin and stems of the grapes – is heated (never boiled), in a large copper cauldron over a wooden fire.
Half the liquid is allowed to slowly evaporate, thus concentrating the remaining juice. After cooling, the concentrate is vatted and left to ferment. The fermentation stops naturally when the wine has an alcohol strength of around 15%. and it then left to mature in barrels for several months before being bottled.
A sweet, light wine, vin cuit can be drunk as an aperitif or with a dessert at the end of a meal. It also makes a perfect accompaniment to foie gras or blue cheese, particularly the ‘cheese of Kings and Popes’ – Roquefort.
In Provence, Vin Cuit is the traditional drink served at the end of the Christmas meal.
Tchin-Tchin!
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