Description

La Colombière’s Les Jacquaires cuvée is made from a blend of Bouysselet, Chenin and Sauvignon. This is likely a legacy of the pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela. Aromas of pear, apple and apricot-tinged citrus contribute to this wine’s lovely aromatic persistence. Dry and mineral, it is nonetheless full-bodied: this is an energetic and refreshing wine!

In the vineyard, in the cellar

Les Jacquaires de La Colombière is a blend of Chenin, Sauvignon Blanc and Bouysselet grown on clay-siliceous gravel soils. The grape varieties are harvested separately due to their different harvest dates. They are then pressed directly, settled and kept at a controlled temperature, with spontaneous malolactic fermentation (MLF) commencing. The varieties are blended at the end of MLF in stainless steel vats, followed by ageing on fine lees. The wine is bottled six months later in the spring.

A brief history

Red and white grape varieties were once widespread throughout the South-West, following the crusades and pilgrimages of history. Notably those leading to Santiago de Compostela. These provided an opportunity to plant certain grape varieties here and there, which have adapted over time. When the AOPs were established, they segmented the distribution of these grape varieties, often introducing well-known generic noble varieties. This was to the detriment of this unique heritage, which was on the verge of being forgotten or, in many cases, lost. Thus, this cuvée seeks to return to the original expression of what a dry white blend might have been, using the region’s grape varieties as they existed prior to the 1975 AOP.

Le Bouysselet?

A descendant of the Jura Savagnin and the Béarn Plant de Cauzette, one can already expect a unique grape variety for a wine with a strong personality! Originally called Prunelard Blanc, due to its ampelographic resemblance to its dark-skinned Gaillac counterpart, it is now being revived at the estate – the only place where it can be rediscovered, thanks to the unique work of grafting carried out on 0.7 hectares in 2011, followed by 1 hectare in 2015. Derived from prunings from a pre-phylloxera, ungrafted Villaudric plot, grafted onto a 15-year-old Négrette plot, Philippe and Diane Cauvin have embarked on this new white wine venture in the land of the Négrette. Already coveted by the Frontonnais and awaiting official registration in the register of forgotten old grape varieties. It is sparking interest and curiosity among enthusiasts of rare grape varieties on the brink of oblivion.

What to eat with Les Jacquaires de La Colombière?

• Seafood cataplana
• Grilled salmon with a lemon butter sauce
• Quinoa salad with pears, walnuts and rocket
• Cod fillet with lemon and coriander
• Seafood risotto
• Shellfish
• Baked fish
• Roast chicken with honey and lemon