VDF "Le Blanc" (White) 2021

An aromatic blend of Terret Blanc and Terret Gris, this wine sits somewhere between a traditional white and an orange wine. While it is a pale straw-yellow colour, a few days of maceration on the skins gives a savoury, yeasty profile. There are flavours of baked apple, pear and honey, and a crisp, lively freshness. The wine is lightly oaked and is unfined and unfiltered, giving it a hazy appearance alongside the subtle sherry notes. This is a gastronomic wine, and brilliant to pair with rich seafood.

Terret Blanc is a nearly extinct Mediterranean variety, which ripens at the end of the harvest, meaning that the grape’s acidity endures through the warmth of the summer. The grape has flavours reminiscent of Alsace Riesling – honey and flowers with an earthy base. Since Terret is not officially approved in the region, the wine is sold as Vin De France, but insiders know and love it, and the small allocations are a sell-out every year.

Vinification: Made from field blend of Terret grapes (approximately 80% Terret Blanc and 20% Terret Gris). The up to 90 year-old vines are harvested to extremely low yields, ensuring intense, concentrated flavours. Fermentation takes place in cement vats with indigenous yeasts Didier follows an ancestral habit of letting the grapes macerate on the skins for 2-4 days in the vertical press. The wine is aged for one year in oak on its fine lees, and released unfined and unfiltered.

Match it with: Meatier seafood such as lobster or turbot with fresh herbs and lemon.