2021 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”Bernard Baudry
France | Loire
$36
Producers
This blend of Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc, Clairette, and Vermentino is planted in the lieu-dit of Aupilhac, the little corner of the Larzac behind Sylvain’s winery on the lower limestone slopes of Mont Baudile. All of Sylvain’s wines show a strong sense of place, as his organic viticulture and minimalist treatment in the cellar coax the essence of his land. It tastes as if bees had harvested the nectar and pollen of all the local flowers and herbs and brewed it into wine.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 20% Ugni Blanc, 35% Grenache Blanc, 35% Clairette, 10% Vermentino |
Appellation: | Languedoc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Domaine d'Aupilhac |
Winemaker: | Sylvain Fadat |
Vineyard: | 16 years average |
Soil: | Clay, limestone |
Aging: | Wine ages for 12 months |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Languedoc
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon | Languedoc
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Ask wine drinkers around the world, and the word “Languedoc” is sure to elicit mixed reactions. On the one hand, the region is still strongly tied to its past as a producer of cheap, insipid bulk wine in the eyes of many consumers. On the other hand, it is the source of countless great values providing affordable everyday pleasure, with an increasing number of higher-end wines capable of rivaling the best from other parts of France.
While there’s no denying the Languedoc’s checkered history, the last two decades have seen a noticeable shift to fine wine, with an emphasis on terroir. Ambitious growers have sought out vineyard sites with poor, well draining soils in hilly zones, curbed back on irrigation and the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and looked to balance traditional production methods with technological advancements to craft wines with elegance, balance, and a clear sense of place. Today, the overall quality and variety of wines being made in the Languedoc is as high as ever.
Shaped like a crescent hugging the Mediterranean coast, the region boasts an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates depending on elevation, exposition, and relative distance from the coastline and the cooler foothills farther inland. While the warm Mediterranean climate is conducive to the production of reds, there are world-class whites and rosés to be found as well, along with stunning dessert wines revered by connoisseurs for centuries.
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Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236
Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol
Many food and beverage cans have linings containing bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known to cause harm to the female reproductive system. Jar lids and bottle caps may also contain BPA. You can be exposed to BPA when you consume foods or beverages packaged in these containers. For more information, go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/bpa