The Picpoul de Pinet
The Picpoul de Pinet
A short story
Picpoul (or piquepoul) de Pinet is a grape variety that is grown in the South of France and to a lesser extent in the north of Spain, which makes it a very typical grape of our region. The Picpoul white wine from the appellation has the same name. Picpoul also produces some reds and “grays” but they are rare and today there are less than 5 ha. The “Picpoul de Pinet” is a reference of shellfish lovers who will surely enjoy the local oysters, yet another specialty of the Etang de Thau. The wine’s nose with a floral and citrus blends pleasantly with its sharpness in the mouth and the pronounced iodized taste of the seafood
Its name comes from the fact that the Picpoul branches spread on the ground putting the grapes within reach of very happy poultry.
History
The name Picpoul de Pinet covers a single vineyard just a short distance from the Mediterranean Sea, and bordering the Etang de Thau. Crossed by the Via Domitia, close to the ancient port of Sète and Agde, it is one of the oldest vineyards in France. In 1773, when Turgot, future minister of Louis XVI, gave permission to affix to each barrel of wine the famous “Fire brand”, a sign of recognition of the quality of the Pinet vineyard.
Terroir
The soil is composed of clay-limestone plateaus dotted with quartz pebbles. These plateaus slope gently towards the Etang de Thau lagoons. The Mediterranean climate with low rainfall and high temperatures is ideal.
