Rancio

A tasting term used for a distinctive style of wine, often fortified or vin doux naturel, achieved by deliberately maderizing the wine by exposing it to oxygen and/or heat. It is not a negative trait, but characteristic of these wine styles.

The word rancio has the same root as ‘rancid’ and the wines that result have an additional and powerful smell reminiscent of overripe fruit, nuts, and melted or even rancid butter.

Wines that commonly displays rancio character can include: wines traditionally stored in barrels in hot store houses (Australian Topaque and Muscat), or under the rafters in a hot climate (Madeira or Rousillon’s vin doux naturels), or in glass demijohns left out of doors and subjected ot the changing temperatures of night and day, as in some parts of Spain.