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With vines planted at around 1000 feet in altitude facing the regal Pyrenees mountains, Jurançon is one of the best-kept secrets in France for unique, mineral white wine. This wine is named after the classic Tauzin pine tree, which blankets the entire lush, green Pyrenees region. The iron-inflected, clay and silica-bearing limestone soils just outside of Béarn render the Tauzy. A tiny 2ha vineyard on a steep slope is covered with pudding stones at its crest; the snow-capped Pyrenees mountains beckon from afar. The eastern exposure allows them to slowly ripen grapes while retaining freshness and acidity.
Winemaker Franck Lihour took over his family’s domaine in 2014, a domaine that’s been crafting wine since 1743. After working as a wine merchant in nearby Pau, he decided to view the world through the lens of fine wine, interning in Napa Valley, South Africa, Corsica, and classic destinations like Burgundy and Bordeaux. Since taking the reins of the estate, he’s begun farming organically and biodynamically to bolster the quality of his fruit.
The Tauzy is a field blend of Petit and Gros Manseng, two grapes which may also craft dessert wines but which also can render unforgettable dry whites with excellent acidity and intriguing, spicy stone fruit aromas. Petit Corbu rounds the blend off; this nearly extinct grape contributes an invaluable texture and raciness to this wine thanks to its gently honeyed citrus aromas.
Like all great wines, the Tauzy is hand-harvested and fermented using indigenous yeasts; it spends 10 months aging on its lees in a mixture of old wood and sandstone eggs, and a final 2 months in stainless steel. This is also a complex wine that rewards decanting and will age admirably should you choose. A noble interplay of fruit, minerality, and refreshing acidity make this wine a winner with smoked fish, grilled sardines, scallops, poultry in cream sauces, and of course: local sheep cheeses from the Pyrenees.
Monday - Friday |
11:00 am - 7:00 pm |
Saturday |
12:00 pm - 7:00 pm |
Sunday |
Closed |
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