AROMATIC ACE FROM GASCONY

AN ACE FROM GASCONY

Domaine de Pellehaut Ampelomeryx   2007, 13%, €13.99, Curious Wines, 

Gascony, best known for its Armagnac (I also like the local Floc), produces some “popular wine-bar wines” according to Hugh Johnson who notes Pellehaut as one of the better producers.

Picked up a bottle of Domaine de Pellehaut Ampelomeryx 2007 at Curious Wines recently and this blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Manseng Gros and Manseng Petit, sure surprised me, in a very pleasant way.

Colour is inviting, so is the nose and the promise is delightfully delivered onwards by an excellent Vin de Pays. This has a share of awards to its credit and Johnson recommends that you DYA, i.e. Drink the Youngest Available. The
vineyard also: Should-be-drunk-in two-to-four-years following the vintage.

But I have no complaints with my 2007. Lovely clean honey colour and its scented (moderate but insistent) nose draws you in. On the palate, this off-dry wine is rich, almost creamy, a really well balanced wine with an elegant lengthy finish. Don’t like using the word aromatic too much but this is an excellent aromatic wine.

Well worth a try despite the strange name which is explained on the back-label and on the Curious website: The fossils of the Ampelomeryx have been found buried under the vineyard. Half deer, half giraffe, it lived in the region over 17 million years ago when the climate in Gascony was sub-tropical.

The male in this species, which is shown on the label, has two large canines on the front and a horn at the back of the head. During the breeding period, males clashed heads. Now that would've been fun to watch!

5 star rating system

5 stars: Outstanding
4 stars: Highly recommended
3 stars: Recommended
2 stars: Quite good
1 star: Acceptable