RAISE A GLASS
I’ve just enjoyed an amazing autumnal afternoon meeting Picpoul de Pinet wine producers and sipping their wine.
A year ago this week, I said of Picpoul de Pinet in this very space that “the growing grapes overlook oyster beds in the Languedoc. Ah, how I’d love to sip it there!”
And practically to the day, that’s exactly what I did.
The backdrop was the crystal-glinting lagoon of Étang de Thau. In the near distance, across the water, the city of Sète had its back to the Mediterranean.
We were in a working oyster farm. Nets pulled and creaked; boats wobbled as the daily tasks were done. I was seeing what I’ve written about so many times. It was breathtaking.
The wine is created from the grape piquepoul (a different spelling to the appellation) and I believe it translates as “lipstinger”.
The bottles themselves are distinctive. Tall and thin, and known as a Neptune bottle, they are marked with the seal of the cross of Languedoc and engraved with the name “Picpoul de Pinet”. It is a registered trademark.
But what of the wine? If you enjoy sauvignon blanc, or yearn for something with more weight than pinot grigio, it’s for you. The grapes deliver a zap of zest, with lemon, grapefruit, a vibrant acidity and a steely backbone.
If any wine was meant to pair with the soul of the food from its region, it is Picpoul de Pinet. We sipped and chatted in the sun, discovering the wines and sharing platters of oysters.
As Picpoul de Pinet is so popular now, it is relatively easy to track down a bottle.
A third of the region’s production is sold here in the UK.
Here’s a handful of suggestions:
Tesco Finest Picpoul De Pinet (Pictured, £8, and made by one of the producers I met, Les Costières De Pomérols)
Domaine Félines Jourdan 2021 (£9.50, Wine Society). Our lagoon-side sipping concluded with a visit to the domaine.
Domaine de Campaucels Picpoul de Pinet (£11.50, online at Nothing But The Grape)
Mas Saint-laurent Picpoul de Pinet (£14.95, oliverandbird.co.uk)
Jane is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers. Find her on social media and online as One Foot in the Grapes.