First, a statement. We are not masochists and do not go out of our way to find things that are obscure and hard to say. But we don’t have any fears of going down that path if the juice merits the interest. This one ‘has it all’…a difficult name, from a relatively small segment of an already tiny category made with grapes that relatively few people are familiar with. Nevertheless, its delicious.
Sure it would be much easier to promote some mainstream grape like Chardonnay with an accompanying score from a well known media source. We’ll do that when the time comes. But if we didn’t pay attention to special wines like this and give them their moment, we would be doing a disservice to you as wine merchants.
The region is Madiran, inland and southeast of Bordeaux and best known for big brooding reds with bold tannins and high levels of resveratrol, the ‘life prolonging’ compound in Tannat based wines that was the groundbreaking discovery in a ‘Sixty Minutes’ piece called the “French Paradox” many years ago. But they make a bit of white wine there, too, mostly out of blends with grapes Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu. Most of those are sweet, but there is a small portion of dry renditions, which it will state on the label (sec is French for dry).
All that said, the Montus Blanc Sec Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh 2014, made by the acknowledged ‘top gun’ in Madiran for both ‘colors’, Alain Brumont, is a rare example of an outstanding example of this obscure category at what appears to be the prefect place in its history. Their description of the process is, ‘this wine’s special character is due to its vinification and ageing in 600 liter barrels, called demi-muids, made from wooden staves that are more than four centimeters thick. The impact of the wood on the wine is reduced, with a more mellow woodiness, beneficial to the preservation of the fruity aromas, while maintaining a perfect balance, for a very expressive, high quality wine.”
Add eight years of bottle age to the equation and you have something that hits notes that are rare and special in our experience. Probably the closest comparison we could make wouldn’t really bring it home for a lot of people but it has elements that remind us of an aged white Hermitage (the vines here, coincidentally, are on terraced hillsides). The palate is seamless and supple, with ample richness atop what is still a nice lift of acidity. The texture is creamy with pear, apple, and tropical fruit tones laced with subtle minerality, spice, and a slightly honeyed finished. Seductive and complex, this is a must try.
The genre of dry white Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh is a tiny category to be sure. We’ve tasted and carried the bottling from prior vintages, but we don’t recall a performance at quite this level. You can ponder this one on its own or serve it anywhere a dry, fairly rich while will do. Either way, it’s a treat.