I have had a major crush on the white wines from the Côtes de Gascogne in Southwestern France for a long time. Particularly the ones based on a blend of the grapes Ugni Blanc and Colombard. What’s funny about these grapes is that they are used to make the famous powerhouse, high-octane spirits Cognac and Armagnac, but in non-distilled, fermented form make one of the world’s most thirst-quenching wines.
The 2010 Domaine du Tariquet should make your short list for a summer sipper/porch pounder. I also shamefaced in my envy of the perfect description of the wine on the back label:
“Balanced and light to satisfy moments of thirst and pleasure.”
Damn, I wish I wrote that.
This Côtes de Gascogne would be wonderful with light seafood dishes, but really all you need is an ice bucket and a glass.
Cloud photo courtesy titou.net.
Full disclosure: I received this wine as a sample.
