Banyuls, an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC), is a fortified apéritif or dessert wine made from old vines cultivated in terraces on the slopes of the Pyrenees in the Roussillon (Northern Catalonia) wine region of Southern France, which borders Southern Catalonia in Spain.
The AOC production area is limited to four communes of the Côte Vermeille: Banyuls-sur-Mer (from which the AOC takes its name), Cerbère, Collioure and Port-Vendres.
Most wines are red, although some white wines are produced. Permitted grape varieties are Grenache Noir (at least 50%, 75% for the Grand Cru), Grenache Gris, Grenache Blanc and Carignan.
The production process is similar to that used to make Port. The maturation period is a minimum of ten months for Banyuls AOC. The resulting wine bears a similarity to port but tends to be lower in alcohol (~16% vs. ~20%).
