Domaine Estrade - Cotes de Gascogne Blanc

2020

Cotes de Gascogne, France

Colombard 40%, Sauvignon Blanc 30%, and Ugni Blanc 30%

The Estrade family has been farming a mix of grains and grapes since 1962. Today, third-generation brothers Rémy and Eric Estrade manage affairs. In 2018, the brothers embarked on the road to organic viticulture, and by 2022 they will be certified for all of their vines. They farm 200 acres of wheat, fava beans, chickpeas, and lentils, along with 170 acres of thirty to forty-year-old grapevines: Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc, and Ugni Blanc. To preserve the fresh aromatics and ensure that the grapes are harvested while they are still cool, they are hand-picked between 3 am and 6 am. They are left to macerate in their skins before being vinified using temperature control, then aged on the lees to lock in all the fabulous fruity aromas of the wine. Refreshingly low in alcohol and with attractive white and citrus fruits, this fragrant French white blend has both a light and herbal edge. In the glass, you'll experience its tangy, bright character as a crisp dry white wine that excels as an apéritif.