| Type | White wine |
|---|---|
| Region | |
| Grapes | |
| Producer | |
| Allergens | Contains sulfites |
| Alcohol contenti | 11.0% |
Spec sheet
The wine
René Barbier Semi Dulce is a semi-sweet white from Penedès in Catalonia, blended from four local grapes — Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel·lo and a touch of Muscat of Alexandria — by René Barbier, one of the region's oldest wine houses, founded in Tarragona in 1880. It's an easy, low-commitment buy, and it's built a genuinely devoted following: 4.8/5 from 94 reviews, many from drinkers who discovered it on holiday in Spain — often in Tenerife — and have been ordering it from Vinissimus ever since because they can't find it in UK shops.
What does this wine taste like?
Pale straw yellow, the nose offers white fruit — apple, pear, banana — with floral notes of orange blossom. On the palate, it's smooth, fresh and light, with a natural sweetness balanced by refreshing acidity that keeps it from feeling cloying, and gentle varietal character running through the finish.
View | Straw yellow / Pale |
|---|---|
Bouquet | Fruit aromas / White fruit / Apple / Pear / Banana / Floral scents / Orange blossom |
Mouth | Smooth / Fresh / Light / Floral notes / Varietal notes |
Drinking and storing
Serve chilled, between 7°C and 9°C. This is a wine for drinking now rather than laying down — several regular buyers order it by the case to keep at home, since it isn't widely stocked in UK shops.
Serve between 7ºC and 9ºC
Food pairing
Its sweetness and richness make it a genuine match for foie gras, a classic semi-sweet white pairing, and it stands up well to blue cheeses, where the wine's fruit balances the cheese's sharpness. It's equally at home alongside desserts, making it a versatile bottle for the end of a meal.
Foie gras / Blue cheeses / Desserts
Customer reviews
The winery
René Barbier
In 1870 phylloxera devastated French vineyards, including those of the Barbier family. In the wine-growing areas, wages were halved, businesses collapsed, and a large part of the population emigrated to other countries, such as Spain. For this reason, Léon Barbier, the son of vineyard owners from the Avignon region, settled in Catalonia, establishing his company in Tarragona in 1880. Léon Barbier was the first to sell his wines in bottles. He applied his knowledge...
