A Couple of Very Highly Recommended Whites from O'Brien Wines. Chablis and a Marlborough Sauvignon

A Couple of Very Highly Recommended Whites from O'Briens

Chablis and a Marlborough Sauvignon

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Julien Brocard Boissonneuse Chablis (AOC) 2019, 13.5%, €25.95 (was €29.95)

This biodynamic Julien Brocard Chablis “is a revelation” according to importers O’Briens: “..this is a Chablis that leaves some of the best Premier Cru in its wake.”

Colour is a clean and bright straw. Intense white fruit aromas rise to greet you. These are reinforced on the palate, the purity of the fruit (citrus and a sweet apple) with an underlying minerality, all balanced by the acidity. A rich harmony all the way to a lengthy dry finish. Indeed, it is reminiscent of a Premier Cru and no hesitation in placing this on the Very Highly Recommended list. It has been part fermented in oak foudres, part in tank to open up this structured wine.

This Chablis is so well made, so precise from start to finish, you tend to reckon it is the result of modern wine-making. Not “techie” modern though, and it looks as if the sun and moon, along with the wine-makers of course, have that precision.

Speaking of precision, I have to admit I wasn’t that precise - let’s say I wouldn’t have passed any somm exams - when opening this one and its wax closure. But these closures are quite easy to open and you can see how on this video here. 

The 7 Lieux? Julien Brocard is the son of Jean Marc Brocard. In 2012 he launched his 7 Lieux range, comprising 7 wines made from plots in the family's winery in Prehy.

They say: The 7 Lieux wine was born from our desire not to exploit the earth, but let it guide us unrestrained. The soils formed during the Jurassic nourish the vines and impart a unique personality to them. The celestial cycles of the moon and sun in our northern climate give perfect maturity to the grapes. In adopting biodynamic principles, we have learned to respect this delicate union. The 7 lieu wine delivers a harmonious balance of taste and aromas as result of this intricate journey.

* Frost is a regular problem in Chablis which is somewhat isolated from the rest of the Burgundy. Indeed it is closer to Champagne that it is to the rest of Burgundy vineyard.

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Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2021, 13%, €17.95

Pale lemon is the colour. Citrus lead the aromatics, classic for the area. On the palate, it is the turn of white peach to shine and it does, along with a supporting cast that again includes citrus. This is concentrated and elegant and not as “wild” as some NZ Sauvignons. And there’s a lingering finish. 

A Very Highly Recommended Marlborough and it goes so well with goats cheese as they recommend, at least with the Ardsallagh Phantom Ash that we had handy. Other pairings they hint at are fresh seafood, summer salads and light poultry dishes.

O’Briens tell us that Whitehaven was set up by Sue White and her husband Greg. “This wine is a perennial favourite with our customers and staff alike …..is quintessentially Marlborough.”

The winemakers: The climate in Marlborough is cool Maritime, with cool summers and moderate winters. Even in the height of the summer the region experiences cool nights, which help to retain freshness and acidity in the wines. 

 

By the way, they recommend drinking this 2021 Sauvignon Blanc while it is young and fresh, but the wine is capable of developing nicely beyond five years if carefully cellared. Serve lightly chilled

Greywacke and John Duval. Two Cracking Wines from Marlborough and The Barossa. Do you know the Arneis grape?

Greywacke and John Duval. Two Cracking Wines from Marlborough and The Barossa

John Duval, `Plexus` Marsanne/Roussanne/Viognier, Barossa 2019, 12.5%

RRP € 28.99 The Corkscrew; Baggot Street Wines; Wineonline.ie

Vibrant light start colour with hints of green invites you to take this Rhone inspired white a little further. And then you experience rather intense aromas of honeysuckle and stone fruit (including rich ripe peach).  Well structured and balanced, you continue to enjoy the ride, the complex palate packed with pure fruit, the six months in oak adding to the vibrancy of the fruit. 

I’ve long been a fan of Rhone white grapes, especially Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, the three in this blend. Now even more of a fan. Very Highly Recommended.

All varieties were gently pressed. The pressings were then combined with the free run juice and cold settled. Fermentation commenced entirely in stainless steel tanks with some of the Marsanne and Viognier (9%) completing fermentation, and then maturation, in puncheons until bottling in late August. The remaining Marsanne (50%) and the Roussanne (41%) were matured on lees in tank until bottling to enhance the structure and texture of the finished wine.

From a family boasting four generations of South Australian vignerons, John Duval is one of the world’s best known winemakers. After 28 years with Penfolds, including 16 years as Chief Winemaker, John launched his own label in 2003 - a new challenge that would allow him to be involved first hand from vineyard to glass, and provide an opportunity to build something for his family.

Growing Rhone varieties is a no brainer in the Barossa. The Valley has a Mediterranean climate with warm-climate vineyards. And so a red Rhone was the first Plexus: “Our affinity for working with old vine Barossa Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvédre began with John’s time at Penfolds, and continues with this wine - the first to be released by John Duval Wines from the inaugural vintage in 2003.”

 “The aim of Plexus is to express a wide spectrum of fruit flavours, whilst ensuring seamless integration of the contrasting characters of the three varietals. Shiraz provides rich dark fruits and mid palate weight, whilst Grenache delivers a bright flavour spectrum of red fruits and spiced notes. Old vine Mourvèdre is integral to the blend, ensuring a good firm backbone of savoury tannin and a long finish.”

I drew heavily on the Wine Australia website for info on the Barossa and John Duval (including the final two paragraphs).

Greywacke Riesling Marlborough New Zealand 2019, 11.5%

RRP € 27.99 The Wine Centre Sweeney's D3 Martins Off Licence Fine Wines Fresh - Dublin outlets

Light straw is the colour of this off-dry Greywacke Riesling from New Zealand. Exotic fruits feature in the intense aromas along with  the more humble such as apple, plus a hint of pepper, and diesel in the background. The fruit flavours, with citrus exuberant, dance across the palate, a little sweetness wafting in there too. But there’s a lively acidity helping bring it all together.  There’s quite a mouthfeel too and a fantastic long finish. Very Highly Recommended.

There’s quite a lot of attention to detail involved in the production of this Riesling. Here’s a flavour: Half of the juice was inoculated in a stainless steel tank using cultured yeast, while the other half was filled into old French oak barriques, where it was allowed to undergo spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation. All of the wine was then transferred to a stainless steel tank where the fermentation was stopped, retaining 19 g/l residual sugar. The blended wine was filled into old barrels, where it remained on yeast lees for a further five months….

Greywacke was created in 2009 by Kevin Judd, chief winemaker at Cloudy Bay from its inception for 25 years and instrumental in the international recognition which Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc enjoys now. The name 'Greywacke' was adopted by Kevin for his first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura in recognition of the high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones in the soils of the vineyard, a sedimentary rock which is widely found in Marlborough. Kevin is also an accomplished wine photographer.

The Riesling grade is a relative newcomer to New Zealand, first planted in the 1970s and steadily increasing in acreage since then. Marlborough is the leading area for both sweet and dry styles (Grapes & Wine edition. 2015).

Have you heard of the Arneis grape?

Giovanni Almondo Roero Arneis “Brico delle Ciliegie” (DOCG) 2020, 13.5%

Not too many of us will have heard about this Arneis grape. Indeed in the middle of the previous century, it was on the way out of the scene. The website wine-searcher.com says it “has been rescued from the verge of extinction”. Obviously the local Barolo producers, so rich in reds, took to it as a white to be proud of and that helped the revival as has its distribution in these islands by Liberty.

Now the Arneis wines are known as Barolo Bianco and are synonymous with the Roero region where this one is produced by Giovanni Almondo.

This single vineyard Arneis has a straw gold, bright and clear. Liberty Wines MD David Gleave, alerted by their local Barolo producers, tried this a few times before deciding to import it to the UK and Ireland. Aromas and flavours are modest and pleasant with touches of apple and peach, a hint of hazelnut too. And there’s a lovely fruity crispness about the initial contact on the palate, a contact that soon proves refreshing and is satisfactory right through to the lengthy finish. Highly Recommended.

Top-notch Gru-Vee on the double from Blank Canvas and Fred Loimer

Top-notch Gru-Vee on the double

 from Blank Canvas and Fred Loimer

Blank Canvas Grüner Veltliner Marlborough (2013), 13%,

 €22.99 WINEONLINE.IE LTD; Ely Wine Store, Maynooth; The Corkscrew

Colour is quite a rich gold, with the odd flash of green. Aromas are also strong (yet restrained), exotic fruits (mandarin is mentioned on the label). White pepper also mentioned but didn’t get that, though there was a teeny hint of the diesel one normally finds in Riesling. That spice is certainly present on the fulsome palate along with stunning fruit (mandarin, peach), an amazing mouthful, and an equally amazing and long-lasting finish. Very Highly Recommended.

Experienced winemaker Matt Thompson and partner Sophie Parker-Thomson are the duo behind Blank Canvas and they conducted a recent zoomed masterclass for Liberty Wines. Grüner Veltliner is a relative newcomer to the Blank Canvas portfolio. “It’s fun to make it, totally different,” enthused Sophie. Oak has been used but they affirm that “the subtle influence of new and seasoned French oak puncheons .. provide weight and texture”.

And you may well come across that GV pepper in their Syrah which is co-fermented with 7.5% Grüner Veltliner skins. Matt: “I preferred the white pepper character of the Grüner to the riper Viognier fruit.”

Matt continued: “When I discovered Grüner Veltliner was available for planting in New Zealand, I jumped at the chance to be among the first to produce it. Looking at the similarities between the Austrian and Marlborough climates I know this was a very exciting opportunity not to be missed.”  

The Thompsons have no vineyards, yet, and they choose very carefully where and who they work with. Note too that all their wines are single vineyard.

Check out more details from the interesting Black Canvas masterclass here…. Some very interesting remarks on the use of sulphur.

Loimer “Lois” Grüner Veltliner 2018, 11.5%, 

€18.70 WINEONLINE.IE LTD. The Wine Centre, Kilkenny. Ely Wine Store, Maynooth. The Corkscrew

Colour is an attractive light to mid gold. Moderately intense aromas, fruit (apple, peach) and a herbal spice. Spice and fruit too on the lively palate where a bracing acidity makes the taste buds stand up and pay attention. Very refreshing and Very Highly Recommended.

Interestingly, Fred Loimer uses oak also but to a much lesser extent than Blank Canvas. Here, fermentation is spontaneous, 95% in stainless steel tanks and just 5% in used oak barrels, 2-4 weeks by 20° – 22°C. Ageing: in stainless steel tanks on fine lees for 4 months.

Food recommendations: Rice and pasta dishes with white meat or fried fish

Fred is a biodynamic wine-maker and, interestingly from an Irish point of view, says that “Cow manure is the best you can find for composting.” Cows have their fans across the wine world.  During the series of Liberty Wines organised masterclass, endorsements for our bovine friends by Aurelio Montez (Chile) and Giovanni Manetti (Chianti Classico) were followed up by Fred’s.

“You cannot separate plants and animals, nature works in a holistic way, together they have composted over the years to create the soil we have today,” said Fred. Biodiversity is another essential plank. “Monoculture is a big problem today. It is necessary to create as much biodiversity as possible. Not one hundred percent vineyard but always bushes, trees and grassland over the whole area.”

“Herbicide is a disaster. There is life in our soil. Always something going on, even in a small square, something like 60,000 lives in there, all doing something. We cover our soils, green cover, blooming cover. Our own compost is getting better and we spread it in the autumn…”

Check out more details from the very interesting Loimer masterclass here, terrific insights into the nuts and bolts of the biodynamic vineyard.

Matt Thompson's Blank Canvas in Marlborough. Harvest 2020 almost knocked out by Covid19!

Matt Thompson's Blank Canvas in Marlborough

Harvest 20 almost knocked out by Covid19! 

Experienced winemaker Matt Thompson and partner Sophie Parker-Thomson told us about their big escape as they gave the latest masterclass in the current Liberty Wine series. As the virus struck the country, there was a local campaign in Marlborough, where their Blank Canvas winery is, to shut down the industry. “It would have been a nightmare,” said Matt. “The shutdown would have been effectively for a year, not just weeks, a very scary time. There was panic, no insurance to cover it. “ 

But in the Year of the PPE (personal protection equipment), they were able to continue the vintage. Sophie: “Everything took longer. Both the weather and the fruity quality were fantastic.”

The weather had also been kind earlier, in December, leading to the "most spectacular flowering". The yield was up and, with some varieties having highly packed bunches, there was a danger of disease. “But it stayed dry and there was no disease”, said Matt. “A dream vintage,” concluded Sophie.

The work in the winery is not quite finished yet. While they operate mostly on Marlborough, their Syrah comes from the North Island, from the small Element vineyard in the famed Gimblett Gravels area. This has three or four weeks more to go before bottling.

Liberty Wines MD David Gleave introduced the couple saying he first met Matt in Italy in 1994. “He has done numerous vintages in Italy since and also in Marlborough where he also works as a consultant. He knows Marlborough inside out. With his own label he is pushing Marlborough into areas where it hasn’t gone before, making some great wines, including a terrific Gruner Veltliner (with “its stunning yet restrained aromatics”).

Sophie confirmed that they are pushing boundaries, ”wine without recipes”. Matt said they “make wines for grown-ups”. “We keep it small, helps us experiment. When it works, we bottle it. We have no vineyards, yet, and we choose very carefully where and who we work with."  Note too that all their wines are single vineyard.

“The vineyards are quite spread out,” said Sophie “and we have a very important partnership with our growers.” While the vineyards are “spread out”, the distances between them are not great. For instance, the Reed family vineyard (see map) is just 25 miles inland from Cloudy Bay. The Reeds are not only trusted suppliers but they are also great customers!

Mission statement!

The Holding family are nearer the sea and that saline note is present in their Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Healthy soils here too and great diversity. “They don’t plough at all,” said Matt. “Ploughing is a huge contributor to climate change and destructive to organic matter.”

Grüner Veltliner, highly praised by David Gleave, is a relative newcomer to the Blank Canvas portfolio. “It’s fun to make it, totally different,” enthused Sophie. Unusually, the Syrah was co-fermented with 7.5% Grüner Veltliner skins. Matt: “I preferred the white pepper character of the Grüner to the riper Viognier fruit.” 

David asked about climate change and specifically mentioned copper sulphites (“effective but doing long term damage”).

Matt confirmed the copper usage in Marlborough “is next to nil”. “Copper is destructive on some flavours of Sauvignon Blanc so that benefits form the next to nil usage here.” He also hinted that a  “biological spray” may be a way forward in the vineyard in future. “It is a spray of competitive microbial bugs that swamp out the pathogens.”

And then we were on to SO_2.

Okay, so what is SO₂? You’ll see the words Contains Sulphites on every bottle of wine as sulphites occur naturally as well as being added during the process. SO₂ is the active form of sulphites and is used in very small concentrations in wine (and in lots of other drinks and food, eg dried apricots, soups, and orange juice). Some wine-drinkers say they get a headache from the sulphites. But, if that were the case, then a couple of dried apricots would give you one as well.

So why is it used?  It can be a bit technical. It is used as an antioxidant and also as an antimicrobial agent (where it is very effective against most bacteria, germs don’t like it). It comes in a bound form and in a free form (each has its own properties) and total S02 is simply the sum of the bound and free. Matt emphasised that winemakers should know more about bound and free as it “is in everyone’s interest to manage it properly”. He also said that industry should talk more about the subject, as it is the preservative of choice for winemakers and the wine industry.

Its use is limited by European regulations, less for red wines, more for white and the highest limit is for sweet (eg Sauternes). If used at those limits or, preferably below, it keeps the wine fresh and, importantly for Matt, helps keep the qualities of the fruit and the place. “S02 can be used to ensure that the wine’s sense of place, or origin, is expressed rather than the microbial diversity under the winemaker’s fingernails.” 

Sulphites should not be confused with Sulphides! So I won’t add to the confusion here!

Matt and Sophie are quite a busy and experienced couple. He has 53 back-to-back vintages (northern and southern hemisphere) to his credit, while Sophie has 17. Matt has won countless awards, including being International White Winemaker of the Year (IWC 2008). Sophie, a lawyer by training, comes from a wine-making and hospitality family,  and her wine studies are very well advanced.

He says: “Blank Canvas represents my story as a winemaker.” We’re looking forward to the next chapter.

In the meantime, check out the Black Canvas wines on the Liberty Wines website here.

I’ll be there before you!

Previous masterclasses in this series:

Portuguese Grape Varieties with Antonio Braga

A masterclass from Tuscany by wine-maker Paolo De Marchi

Rebooting Armenia's Ancient Winemaking with Zoric Gharabian

Barolo 2016 with Franco Massolino and Giuseppe Vajra

Biodynamic Californian Winemaker Ted Lemon of Littorai

Charles Heidsieck is "freshened up" by Cyril Brun

Cellar Master Émilien Boutillat Details Climate Change Challenges.

My Picks from O'Brien's October Promotion

My Picks from O'Brien's October Promotion

O'Briens October promotion is now in full swing, with reductions on dozens of wines from around the world ranging from 8 to 40 per cent until 28th October. Watch out too for their upcoming Italian Sale (16th to 28th October). My three top picks include a couple of loveable Italians.

Vola Volé Trebbiano D’Abruzzo (DOP) 2017, 12.5%, €13.95 (17.95)

There’s a bee dancing on the label here, letting other bees know the orientation of a food source. I’ll do a little dance too and let you know about a very lovely wine indeed. The wine in the bottle is influenced by the bees also, with the fermentation yeasts carefully selected from the pollen the bees collect in the wildlife parks surrounding the vineyards.

Very light straw colour, clean and bright. Aromas are of light intensity, more floral than fruity. Lightly apple flavoured (more citrusy if it warms up a bit in the glass) with a noticeable acidity, it is light and crisp and easy to drink. Light seafood dishes are a suggested match. Perhaps with a Goatsbridge trout salad.

This wine comes from Cantina Orsogna in the mountainous Abruzzo region of eastern Italy. This cooperative specialises in crafting organic and sustainable wines from local grape varieties. The Vola Volé range of wines are dedicated to the protection of bees by protecting their habitat from pesticides and herbicides and is certified by Biodiversity Friend.

Trebbiano is known as Ugni Blanc in France, grown mainly for the Cognac and Armagnac distilleries.  According to Wine-Searcher, its high acidity acts as a natural antiseptic, keeping the grapes and wines free from bacterial spoilage, a natural substitute for sulphur, handy as sulphur is not compatible with brandy making.

Cortese “Nostru” Nerello Mascalese Terre Siciliane (IGP) 2017, 13%, 12.95 (14.95)

This is another Italian bottle with an eye-catching design. The agave grows widely in Sicily and the relatively new owners here took inspiration for the Nerello Mascalese design from the plant as a symbol of the Sicilian landscape. Indeed, the designs on all the Nostru range are based on symbols of local culture and life, as expressed in authentic Sicilian Majolica ceramics. 

Likewise, the wine is made “in the most traditional and natural way to reflect the true character of the estate’s terroir and its grape varieties” Their methods include fermentation in terracotta. And their ambition is to rediscover precious varieties from Sicily’s past including this “Nerello Mascalese grape, the prince of native red grape varieties of Mount Etna.”. 

Eye-catching label aside, this fresh and light wine has a ruby robe, towards the dark side. Red berries and a hint of spice in the complex aromas. It is fresh and lively, again that spice and fruit, elegant with silky smooth tannins, harmony throughout right to a very satisfying finish. Another excellent Italian.

Emiliana “Indigo” Viognier Gran Reserva, Valle Casablanca (DO) Chile, 2018, 14.5%, €11.95 (16.95)

Emiliana are the largest producers of estate grown organic wines in the world and this organic Viognier comes from their Casablanca Valley vineyards.

Thirty-five per cent of it is aged in French oak for 5 months. I remember drinking Viognier first years ago down in the Languedoc area during family holidays. I was probably buying the cheap stuff from the bottom shelf and didn’t particularly like the sweetish flavours of the liquid. At the time, I was never sure either about the pronunciation (vee·o·nyei - hear it here). But you need have no worries about this beauty.

Light straw colour with hints of green, very bright and clean looking in the glass. Aromas are complex, exotic fruits (mango, pineapple, etc) with blossom notes as well. Palate too is intense, lush fruit and a touch of honey but also well balanced through to a long and pleasant finish.

Other tips!

Louis Jadot Fleurie

Jadot make wines in Burgundy and also in neighbouring Beaujolais. Fleurie is one of the ten crus in the latter region and straightaway you notice its bright light red colour. It is one hundred per cent Gamay. Red fruits, acidity, some tannins, well balanced. A lovely drop as we might say around here.

Astrolabe Pinot Noir

The province of Marlborough has long been recognised as ideal for the growing of Pinot Noir and here winemaker Simon Waghorn takes full advantage of the local advantages: leafy vineyards, ripe fruit and cool climate growing. 

Aromas are cheerful, ripe fruits (cherry and berry). Full bodied, flavours of plum and brambly fruits, well balanced, the oak (11 months of it) harmoniously integrated, supple and silky in a long and totally satisfying finish.

Tons de Duorum

From Portugal’s Duoro comes the gorgeous Tons de Duorum Red. No shortage of ripe fruit flavours on the elegant palate, refreshing with a little spice there too, fine tannins and a lovely soft finish.

Gaia Assyrtiko Wild Ferment

The grapes are grown high up in circles around the top of the craters on Santorini, one of the Greek islands. Sometimes wines from hot climates lack acidity, but that is not the case here. Try it with shellfish, also smoked fish. Well worth a try!

La Côte Blanche de Sophie Bertin Sancerre

This is a star from the Loire. Not that you’d know it from the pale straw colour. The magic starts with the aromas, intense, white fruit and floral notes, minerality and more, full of promise. And that promise is handsomely delivered on the palate.

Tacchetto Bardolino Classico 2014, 12.5%

This has a very light red colour and indeed is nice and light in many respects, including the fragrant fruity aromas. It is fresh and fruity too on the palate, a little spice too, good acidity and quite a long finish, a beautiful light, smooth easy-drinking wine, good either with or without food.

Wines from New Zealand and France via Le Caveau and Mary Pawle

Wines from New Zealand and France

 via Le Caveau and Mary Pawle

Pebble Dew Pinot Noir Marlborough 2017, 13.5%, €24.95  Le Caveau

“A real drinking pleasure” is how Le Caveau describe this Pinot Noir from New Zealand. They have been trying to source a Kiwi supplier for Pinot and Sauvignon Blanc for a while and reckon Pebble Dew is the answer.

It has one of the lightest red colours you’ll see, very close to rosé. The red fruit aromas are packed with promise. And the fruit delivers well on the palate, supple and juicy, right to the refreshing finalé, with a touch of tannin, evident on the top of the lips. It is a light and lively wine for summer, has a bit more going for it than the Sauvignon Blanc.  Highly Recommended.

Pebble Dew Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2018, 13.5%, €20.95  Le Caveau

Colour of the Pebble Dew Sauvignon is a very light straw. Aromatic too with white stone fruit and lime in the mix. Gets more citrus-y on the palate, the lively fruit matched with acidity. Pleasant and easy drinking. Nice aperitif and should go well with seafood and salads. Recommended.

Château de Bastet “Aeris” Côtes du Rhone 2015, 13%, €15.20 Mary Pawle

Generally, white Côtes du Rhone have a clear and crisp appearance, with a floral and fruit bouquet and a well balanced palate. This “Aeris”, organic and biodynamic, certainly fits that description. Serve at 8 to 10 degrees and it is the perfect match to grilled fish, shellfish, fish stew and goat cheeses. Salad Nicoise too.

Château de Bastet decided to go biodynamic in 1997. This 2015 is a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier. Other white grapes permissible in the region are Clairette, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc too and Picpoul.

It is light straw in colour. And there is a nice mix of aromas, floral along with pear and peach. Smooth with good depth of flavour and a pleasant finish. Highly Recommended and, by the way, well priced.

Chateau Petit Roubié Picpoul de Pinet (AOP) 2018, 13%, €13.80 Mary Pawle

A dry white from the Languedoc region near the Med in the south of France. Mary Pawle tells me this grape, Picpoul de Pinet, is often referred to as the Muscadet of the South and is excellent with oysters and most shellfish. And that’s confirmed by the label recommending fruits de mer, coquillages et crustacés, with a serving temperature of 8 degrees.

It has a mid-yellow colour with green tints. Aromatic for sure - citrus, melon and floral. Rounded and abundant fruit flavour (lime, grapefruit), generous mouthfeel (close to creamy), a perky acidity and a decent finish. Highly Recommended.

Picpoul is the grape and Wine-Searcher says this Picpoul de Pinet is its most famous incarnation. “The variety's ability to keep its acidity even in a hot, Mediterranean climate makes it the perfect choice for the region, making taut, full-bodied white wines with herbal and citrus aromas.”