Creyssels, Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet, 2021

Here’s the full tasting note for...

Creyssels, Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet, 2021

Very open and almost floral aroma. Alongside a hit of lime there are flavours of red apple and white peach.  Picpoul is the traditional accompaniment to the oysters from the local beds in the Bassin de Thau near Sète, but it's as appealing as an aperitif as with all types of seafood. Now-2023

The appellation of Picpoul de Pinet, south-west of Montpellier, has become deservedly fashionable; irritatingly so, as we now struggle to get enough stock of this excellent example made by Mme. Benau at Creyssels. Her vineyards are on clay and gravel soils, which lend greater weight than the sandier fields nearer the sea, set amidst woods of pines and cypresses. She crops at low yields, around 40hl./ha., picks very late - well into September - and leaves the wine on its lees. This is the 17th vintage in a row we have shipped.

The local Piquepoul grape has the advantage of being slow-ripening: picked after the heat of summer has passed it retains freshness and flavour. In the old Occitan tongue Picpoul means "lip-stinger", due to the grape’s natural acidity, but this wine is a lot friendlier than that: look on it as the Muscadet of the Mediterranean, albeit with more heft and flavour.