P-P-P-Pick up a Picpoul
One of the highlights of lockdown has been an ability to explore lots of new wines from new regions to grapes and winemaking methods. Picpoul de Pinet is a wine that, to be honest, I’ve always been slightly wary of because of its consistently low price point.
I needn’t have been. Picpoul absolutely rocks.
Picpoul tastes like diving into a cool pool on a roasting hot day on holiday. Picpoul’s name literally translates as ‘lip stinger’ and its that zingy acidity and solid backbone which make it the perfect companion for fish or salads. Whether it’s a cold March (or August) evening or a scorching day in the sun at a BBQ, Picpoul de Pinet does the business, consistently, which for a wine that averages about £8 a bottle is a real boon. So beloved has this pointy, dark green bottle become in our household that its become our go-to fridge wine – which, fellow winos, is high praise indeed: it has all the grace and finesse of the principal dancer of the Royal Ballet and the vititcultural versatility of a two-footed, box to box footballer who can score, assist and speak five languages to boot.
Picpoul vines on sandy soils rolling down to the lagoon behind the port of Sète, on the Mediterranean sea
Picpoul is a region right down in the south of France in the Eastern Languedoc region, which means that it is bloody hot most of the year round. A lagoon is all that stands between the dry, sandy vineyards of Picpoul and the Mediterranean ocean, a body of water that has a major impact on the wine with its cooling influence, even in the hottest of summers. What I love about the best Picpouls is that salty sea air making its way into the wine, with the salinity and acidity refreshing the palate with every sip.
Picpoul, unusually, is a varietal appellation which means that the grape shares its name with the region in which it is produced, a quirky anomaly for France. Grown between Pézenas and the lagoon behind the port of Sète, the Picpoul grape is lemon-scented, a sort of mini-Muscadet. When trying Picpoul you’re going to find a zingy, refreshing white wine which goes brilliantly with fish, shellfish, goats’ cheese, salads, or nothing at all, really. So delicious and mouth-watering is it that before you’ve had time to clock your surroundings you’re already onto bottle number two. A Sour Grapes favourite, do give Picpoul a go. I’ve tasted a Tesco offering below, but Waitrose, M&S and Sainsburys also do very good versions.
A reminder of the Sour Grapes rating system, where a 1 is a good value wine can be read here
A summer star: Picpoul de Pinet
Tesco Finest Picpoul de Pinet 2019 - £7.50
Colour: Pale green gold
Nose: It smells like the South of France, sitting by the sea as you demolish a seafood platter. More specifically, Zingy notes of lemon peel, wet stone and a hint of grapefruit. A touch of yuzu lemon.
Palate: Lip-smacking acidity, freshness and real minerality. There is a vein of salinity which I love, which checks the overall balance of the wine, preventing the citrus fruits from taking over. This isn’t a shy wine and it feels big and fat on the palate, belying its price point with a lovely mouthfeel.
