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Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux Brut 2020 750mL
Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux Brut 2020 750mL
FRANCE : LANGUEDOC : BLANQUETTE DE LIMOUX
CONVENTIONAL : Mauzac, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay
LIGHT-BODIED, PEACH, GREEN APPLE, LEMON CURD, CREAM, NO OAK
The monks at the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire documented sparkling wine production here in 1531 — over a century before Champagne — and the Sieur d'Arques cooperative carries that tradition forward as the dominant producer in the Blanquette de Limoux AOC. Made in the same traditional method used in Champagne, with 12 months on lees exceeding the AOC's 9-month minimum.
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. At 90%, it anchors the wine's characteristic apple-peel and pear aromatics, while Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay round out the blend. The result is lighter and more austere than Crémant de Limoux — a drier, crisper pour with a creamy mid-palate and a clean, yeasty finish. Decanter awarded 90 points.
PAIRINGS :
| Oysters on the half shell | brisk acidity echoes the brine; the mineral note ties back to the saline sea air 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 |
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