Saint-Hilaire
Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux Brut 2023 750ml
Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux Brut 2023 750ml
FRANCE : LANGUEDOC : BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX
Mauzac, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay
LIGHT-BODIED, GREEN APPLE, LEMON ZEST, APPLE PEEL, WET STONE, NO OAK
The monks at the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire documented sparkling wine production here in 1531, more than a century before Champagne, and the Sieur d'Arques cooperative carries that tradition forward as the dominant producer in the Blanquette de Limoux AOC. It is made by the traditional method, the same process used in Champagne, with the second fermentation and the lees ageing taking place in the bottle. The appellation requires at least nine months on the lees before disgorgement.
Mauzac is native to this corner of the Languedoc and almost nowhere else, an indigenous grape that predates the Champagne varieties as the base of serious French sparkling wine. The appellation asks for a minimum of 90% Mauzac, with Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc permitted to round out the blend, and that rule is what separates Blanquette from the Chardonnay-led Cremant de Limoux next door. The result is lighter and drier, with a creamy mid-palate and a clean, yeasty finish. Wine Enthusiast 93 pts, Editors' Choice.
PAIRINGS :
| Oysters on the half shell | brisk acidity echoes the brine; the mineral note ties back to the wet-stone edge on the nose |
| Goat cheese crostini with honey | the apple and citrus character of Mauzac mirrors tangy chèvre; honey bridges the fruit |
| Fried chicken | carbonation and acidity cut through fried fat; the crispness refreshes the palate between bites |
Couldn't load pickup availability
