Piquepoul was one of my discoveries a couple of years ago, when a friend in London (a vegetarian) had us to lunch and opened a bottle which he had picked up in Montpellier on a recent holiday. Since then we started to notice that it is being imported but also some vignerons are actually making it here. It is the perfect wine to have with seafood.

 

One such maker is Coriole. I picked it up last month for a song from Kemeny’s at about $25 a bottle. Last night we took it to a friend’s (another pescetarian) to have with dinner.

 

It is the fifth vintage of this grape at Coriole from vines that were planted in 2010, and the wine displays all the key characteristics of this grape. In Coriole’s words “The nose is spritely and fresh showing fresh lemon, cypress and crushed shell. The palate is fine and long with fresh acidity providing drive and texture, flavours of citrus blossom and wet stone, leaving the palate craving seafood - natural oysters especially.” In addition, I noticed white flower aromas and a touch of grapefruit on the palate.

 

Dennis Mather

Couseiller Gastronomique