Mas Peyre "Le Demon de Midi" Rancio Sec
Mas Peyre "Le Demon de Midi" Rancio Sec is a dry oxidative wine from Roussillon, France, in a 750mL bottle — 100% overripe old-vine Macabeu, fermented to dryness and aged in a three-barrel solera started in 2005, averaging about 6 years old — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: unverified — importer materials state no figure; retailer sources range 12–17%
- Size: 750mL
- Grapes: 100% Macabeu, hand-harvested overripe at 254 g/L residual sugar (importer)
- Aging: three-barrel solera from 2005, average age ~6 years in partially-filled barrels; unfortified, fully dry
- Style: lighter-profile rancio — almond, garrigue honey, leather, a touch of salt at the finish
- Origin: Mas Peyre, St. Paul de Fenouillet, Roussillon, Côtes Catalanes, France (Bourrel family)
The "Noonday Demon" of the Roussillon Hills
"Le Démon de Midi" — the noonday demon — is the old French phrase for the madness of the midday heat, and this rancio wears the name well: a deliberately lighter, more nimble take on Roussillon's oxidative tradition from a small family estate at St. Paul de Fenouillet. Overripe Macabeu ferments to complete dryness before entering a solera of partially-filled barrels, where years of slow air exposure build almond and honey notes without the wine's weight. See the full Mas Peyre range, or compare with the store's other French oxidative and fortified wines.
Tasting Notes
Almond and garrigue honey over dried herbs and leather, with a saline flicker on the finish that keeps it lifted. Dry, supple, and more approachable than heavy oxidative styles — the importer's own suggestion is to reach for it in place of fino sherry.
How to Enjoy
Serve chilled as an aperitif with olives, almonds, and charcuterie, or mix it into cocktails where a fino sherry would go. Being fully oxidized, it keeps well after opening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Le Demon de Midi" mean?
It translates as "the noonday demon" — an old French expression for the dizziness of midday heat in the south.
Is it sweet?
No — the overripe grapes ferment to complete dryness before oxidative aging.
What is the ABV?
Importer materials do not state one; retailer listings range from 12% to 17%. Check the bottle label for the exact figure.
How is it different from sherry?
It is unfortified and French, from Macabeu in Roussillon rather than Palomino in Jerez — but its lighter profile makes it a natural stand-in for fino sherry.
Roussillon's noonday demon awaits: order Mas Peyre "Le Demon de Midi" Rancio Sec online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.