I have now officially been buying the wines of southern and south-western France for The Society for six months. I have tasted hundreds of wines and met scores of producers from the regions, and I can safely say that Domaine Laougué’s 2021 Pacherenc du Vic Bilh Le Talion is one of the most exciting wines that I have tasted to date.
Order by midday on Wednesday 30th July
Pacherenc du Vic Bilh is virtually unknown outside France, and yet it is an appellation that makes some superb dry and sweet wines. The Cuvée Talion is the top dry white from Sylvain Dabadie, whose family has been making wine in the area for generations.
Sylvain’s vines are located at the highest point of the Pacherenc appellation and enjoy a glorious uninterrupted view of the Pyrenees. This wine is a blend of 60% petit corbu and 40% petit manseng grapes and was aged for 15 months in large French oak barrels. The result is an intense, crystalline wine with a citrus, honey and brioche bouquet and texture reminiscent of a fine white Burgundy.
There is a seam of remarkably fresh acidity running through the wine which balances the richness. The wine is ready to drink now and makes a perfect match for seared scallops, roast poulet de Bresse or Rocamadour cheese.
