Byrrh tonic wine: big business from a bygone era

In addition to the once fashionable fortified wines of Banyuls and Rivesaltes, hot, fertile Roussillon is also home to what was one of the biggest ever French wine companies, Byrrh.

In France during the late 19th and early 20th century, in stark contrast to the fragmented production we see today, there were wine businesses large enough to dominate their markets. Only Champagne currently succeeds in this way due to grandes marques investing heavily in branding and the region aggressively protecting its name legally if they think anyone is using it inappropriately.

During this period large companies across Europe sourced grapes from countless small growers, feeding them into fortified wines, vermouths and other wine products such as 'tonic' wines. Many of the labels remain, but production has been radically scaled back due to changes in fashion and taste. In France, in the Mediterranean port of Marseillan Noilly Prat has produced highly regarded vermouth from local grapes Clairette and Picpoul de Pinet since 1855. Further along the coast in Roussillon Thuir is home to Byrrh established by the Violet brothers in 1866.

The name Byrrh (pronounced 'beer') might be vaguely familiar, particularly from eye-catching vintage posters, but you probably haven't drunk it. Byrrh is a 'tonic' wine – in this case, local red wine, fortified then aromatised with botanicals like gin, but heavy on quinine. Winemaking is similar to Rivesaltes and Banyuls – partially fermented and then fortified to 17 degrees by the addition of spirit. Orange peel, cinnamon, coffee and cocoa, as well as the quinine were use to flavour the wine. The result is aromatic, sweet and spicy and distinctly bitter. Rather like Campari, but richer and smoother and very old fashioned tasting; the bitterness gives it a medicinal quality, making it feel as though it's doing you good. What's more, it certainly tastes stable enough to withstand lengthy storage and shipping to far flung French colonies in the days before refrigeration.

After several decades of magnificent marketing, by the time of its heyday in the 1930s annual sales were in excess of 35 million litres and Byrrh had 50 percent of the aperitif market. The company sourced grapes from Corbières, Tautavel, Espira de l'Agly and Cases de Pene and employed 700 at its factory in Thuir, and the company boasted the world's largest oak vat with a capacity of 1,000,200 litres.

The factory in Thuir has recently been renovated by current owners, Pernod-Ricard who also use it for Dubonnet. Regular guided tours take place (in French, but a written translation is available) that give a fascinating glimpse of another age and a different approach to business; like the Cadbury family, the Violets always tried to maintain certain principles and an appreciation of their staff. A visit is also worthwhile just to experience the impressive scale of the operation. It's a pleasure strolling around this handsome little town and there are several good lunch options nearby, making it a decent day out if you're in the area.

Byrrh might be making its presence felt again in export markets, benefitting from the renewed interest in cocktails and vintage ingredients. Keep an eye out as it could be finding its way behind a bar near you soon. However, as our tastebuds are being reintroduced to bitter flavours via Aperol Spritz and Negronis, it's a logical step. Mind you, in the Italian Alps recently I had a glass of Fernet Branca, but that's another story.

Caves Byrrh
Boulevard Violet
66300 Thuir
France
Tel + 33 (0)4 68 53 45 86

Agly Valley by train: vineyards, gorges and Cathar castles

The last time I sat in a rail carriage gazing at breathtaking vineyards was in Portugal's Douro Valley. However, this time I was in Roussillon on the seasonal Train Rouge (full name: Train du Pays Cathare et du Fenouillèdes) that connects Rivesaltes near the coast with Axat in the Pyrenees. This century old narrow gauge railway has been revived by enthusiasts and operates a tourist service from April to September. The route follows the Agly Valley, currently one of the most dynamic wine regions in France producing age-worthy mineral reds and white, but also the source of some of the country's best-known traditional fortified wines (vins doux naturals).

We boarded the train at Rivesaltes at 10am and settled ourselves into a wonderfully retro carriage. You can buy drinks on board including some very decent coffee. The three hour journey to Axat takes in rivers, mountains, gorges and Cathar castles. The first stage of the journey is heavily vined, passing through the towns of Espira d'Agly, Estagel and Maury with the brooding Cathar stronghold of Quéribus in the distance. Look out for the names of notable wine producers on hoardings around the vineyards with their distinctive schist soils, another feature this region shares with the Douro.

At St Paul de Fenouillet we changed onto an open topped 'panoramic' train and continued through Caudiès, pausing on a viaduct near Lapradelle to admire another Cathar castle, the magnificent Puilaurens. Heading towards Axat, the landscape becomes increasingly mountainous as we go deeper into the Aude gorges, passing through several pitch black tunnels to the delight of the children on board.

We reached Axat just before lunch and had plenty of time to explore the town before boarding the train to Rivesaltes at 4.10pm. Axat was cool and fresh in comparison with the scorched coast and the names of Pyrenean ski resorts appeared on roadsigns. We found a picnic area by a fast-flowing stretch of the river Aude and every so often whitewater rafters would come hurtling by. It was also a popular lunch spot with cyclists. Keen walkers might want to factor in an overnight stay here and return to the coast on the train the following afternoon. It's a stunning location and the air felt pure and cleansing – a treat in high summer.

The return journey was just as memorable. The scenery seemed more gentle in the softer late afternoon light, compared with the harsh morning sunshine. Between St Paul de Fenouillet and Rivesaltes, especially around Maury, you really appreciate the scale of winemaking. The landscape is blanketed with vines and, as we reached Rivesaltes just before sunset, it was serenely beautiful looking towards the coastal plains. In this article in the Financial Times Jancis Robinson explains how significant these wines were historically. In the mid 20th century a jaw-dropping 70 million bottles of vins doux naturels from the Rivesaltes appellation were sold annually, a sizeable proportion exported to the French Army because the high levels of alcohol and sugar made the wines so stable. These hardy wines age well and, if you can get your hands on older vintages, offer remarkable value for money. Last November at The Quality Chophouse I enjoyed a glass of 1946 Rivesaltes for just £8.

We didn't visit any wine estates on our trip, just sat back and admired the beautiful landscape. However, an option would be to take the train as far as Maury, have some lunch ('resto-cave' Pichenouille is widely recommended) and visit some of the wineries clustered around the station before catching the return train to Rivesaltes later in the afternoon. Either way, it's an unforgettable day out.