nopa: journal

Pacherenc on the Brain

It started, as it often does, with a mention in a piece read on Eric Asimov‘s "The Pour" ; it ended, as it almost never does, with a bottle of Alain Brumont's Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec. Suddenly, I was seeing Petit Corbu everywhere, or so it seemed to me.

There it was again, being poured in a glossy, two page Saveur spread - at Joël Robuchon's Las Vegas outpost, on the top of their list of "12 Restaurants That Matter."

There is was again, in Matt Kramer's column in The Oregonian, where he noted the variety is the same as Txakolina's Hondarribi Zuri. Other sources indicate that it is an included, but separate variety from Hondarribi. In any case, it's a lot of Pacherenc.

The appellation is in the South West part of France, centered around the village of Madiran in Gascony. The AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée) is only for white wines, although it shares the same geographic boundaries as the Madiran AOC, which is solely red wines. Petits Corbu and Manseng are the main varieties, with Gros Manseng and others playing supporting roles. The area has had few champions, but Brumont has brought a gush of attention to the wines of the South West, largely with the careful vineyard and cellar methods he learned in Bordeaux. Robert Parker and Steven Tanzer have both anointed Brumont as one of their top 10 French Estates, while Decanter equated the property with Château Latour. Heady praise indeed, especially for these modest, "local" varieties.

We currently have Brumont's 2007 Pacherenc du Vic-Bihl Sec on the list, for $36. It shows a lifted nose of pineapple, peaches, raw honey and lemon. On the palate, pineapple and ripe green melons dominate. Medium rich, with a lemon squirt of acidity to keep it fresh. The previous vintage was more oily and dense, which may happen here with time. Sprightly enough to pair with our lighter appetizers, it also marries well with our Rotisserie Herbed Chicken or Pan Roasted Black Cod.

If you are in a red mood, we are currently pouring the 2007 Madiran "Erigone" from Domaine Laffont. The cuvée here is 80% Tannat and 20% Cabernet Franc, and remains lively, delicate and floral despite the intense (but silky!) tannins. $10 a glass.

I've also recently tried Brumont's 2007 Côtes du Gascogne, which is a blend of Gros Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc - it's brighter, a little spritzier, but carries a similar melon/citrus/stonefruit profile, albeit on a slightly leaner frame.

Posted by Caleb Taft on September 10, 2009 • Filed under Wine