Named for the year 1618, when the botanist Magnol first recorded Piquepoul in his Sylve Plantarium. The grape was already being drunk in the Languedoc long before Louis XIV came to the throne.
Tasting Notes
Pale yellow with green highlights. The nose is zingy and gourmand at once, lemon and lime over green apple, with hawthorn and jasmine floating above and a clear note of sea breeze underneath. The palate is fresh and lively with more weight than the appellation usually gives, citrus and white peach carried on a stony minerality, and a savoury thread of thyme and bay running through the middle. It closes salty and invigorating. Picpoul translates roughly as lip stinger, and the bracing acidity is exactly the point.
Quick Facts
- Grape: 100% Piquepoul Blanc
- Origin: France, Languedoc, AOP Picpoul de Pinet
- Style: Dry white, unoaked, screwcap
- Winemaking: Harvested at night and in the early morning when temperatures are lowest to limit oxidation, taken to the cellar immediately and pressed whole bunch in a pneumatic press
- Alcohol: Around 12.5 to 13%
- Appellation note: One of the few AOCs in the Languedoc permitting a single grape, and one of the few French wines named for the variety rather than the place
Food Pairing
Oysters above all, then any shellfish, grilled fish, sushi and sashimi, ceviche, and goat cheese. The salinity does the job a squeeze of lemon would.
Serving
Serve well chilled at 8 to 10°C. Drink young, while the acidity is at its sharpest.
About the Producer
Gérard Bertrand is the leading name of the Languedoc, a former professional rugby player who took over his father's estate and built it into a portfolio spanning the whole south of France, farmed organically and biodynamically. His Château l'Hospitalet was named best wine estate in the world in 2019. The Héritage range takes its names from dates in the region's history, each bottle tied to the moment its appellation or grape enters the record.
