This powerful white is aromatic and flavorful with notes of apricot, clementine, jasmine flowers, vanilla, and marzipan. This is ripe, round, and full flavored with refreshing acidity with a long finish.

WINE INFORMATION

Domaine de Piaugier encompasses 30 hectares located mostly in the small village of Sablet (which refers to “sable,” the French term for sand) next to Gigondas in Côtes du Rhône Villages, as well as in the surrounding Côtes du Rhone area. The estate, established in 1947 by Alphonse Vautour, is currently owned and operated by Alphonse’s great-grandson, Jean-Mark Autran, and his wife, Sophie. Vineyard plantings include predominantly Grenache, with additional plantings of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Carignan red grape varietals; white varieties consist of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussane and Viognier.  Piaugier’s range of wines includes classics such as a renowned Gigondas, Sablet reds from small vineyard parcels, a 100% Cinsault rosé, and some more unusual wines such as the barrel-fermented white, the Ténébi, made from 100% Counoise, or the Rêve de Marine - a pure Syrah matured in oak barrels. The Autran’s eldest daughter, Maude, is following in her parents’ footstep. Currently traveling the world marketing French wines, she intends to return to the family domaine to carry on her legacy.

Grapes for this wine come from 12.5 hectares of vines within the Sablet appellation from 25-year old vines (practicing organic) which are hand harvested. In the cellar, grapes are destemmed and ferment in barriques with native yeasts. The wine subsequently ages in barrels on the lees for 12 months with bâtonnage (stirring settled lees back into wine).

The village name of Sablet actually refers to "sable", which means "sand" in French. A further advantage is that the vines themselves, which are 30 – 50 years old, are reaching their prime. Vines are planted at 4,000 plants per hectare and close attention is paid to yields with an average of 40 hl/ha, well below the standard in the region. The grapes are hand-harvested, parcel by parcel, which lends each wine its own specific character, each one different from the next. 

Chicken/Turkey, Duck, East Asian (Chinese/Japanese/Korean), Fish (white), Fish-full flavored (salmon/tuna), Ham, Indian Food, Lobster & Crab, Mushrooms, Roasted Root Vegetables