White Wine Languedoc - Domaine de l'Arjolle Côtes de Thongues - Terra Vitis

Although family-owned for many years, it really came to life in 1974 at the hands of Prosper and Louis-Marie Teisserenc. Two of the Languedoc's biggest characters, they set about replanting and renewing the vineyards here around the town of Pouzolles. Eager to experiment, they were determined to plant international grape varieties, and were some of the first to plant sauvignon blanc. Always eager to discover the full potential of the vineyards and winemaking, the estate has been practising sustainable viticulture since the early days, and is accredited by Terra Vitis. This means zero herbicides, minimum intervention, and using harvesting machines that have been specially adapted so as to minimise damage to the environment.

As you noticed, I am no pale wine and more of a deep lemon colour with golden glints.

There is a whole bouquet of refined and elegant aromas, mainly floral and stone fruit, well rounded by the sauvignon-blanc citrus fruit and minerality. You can also smell some toasty and some spicy vanilla notes, which comes from the oak barrel.

I guess you could qualify me as a complex dry white wine, with an intense ray of flavours. The acidity, white flowers and stone fruit are well balanced with a bit of oak maturation, without forgetting the lie stirring, also called “batonnage” in French, that provides a long finish with a fine buttery texture.

I would be ideally paired with a good old “poulet de Bresse” or some other rich poultry in a creamy mushroom sauce, as well as some tasty fish such as grilled red mullet with roasted veggies.