2016 CASSAGNOLES COTES DE GASCOGNE BLANC

2016 CASSAGNOLES COTES DE GASCOGNE BLANC, FRANCE. A blend of Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc. (Sustainable)

Gascogny is a region in southwest France known for great values. This is certainly the case at Domaine de Cassagnoles; Gilles Baumann is well-known throughout France for his outstanding, yet very affordable wines. The entry-level white is a blend of Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng, and Sauvignon Blanc. All their wines are estate-grown and bottled from their Lutte raisonnée-farmed vines and certified sustainable. Each grape variety is vinified separately, and fermented and aged in tank until bottling. The result is a crispy and zesty white wine to enjoy with seafood, grilled fish, and many cheeses.

About: Known for its great value, Gascogny, in the hands of a really good wine-maker like Gilles Baumann with the help of his daughter Laure Baumann since 2010, can also make excellent wines in their own right, disregarding the bargain price. The cuvée I select tends to be approximately 40 to 50% Colombard, 25-30% Ugni Blanc and the balance, 20-25% Gros Manseng. Baumann’s Cassagnoles is a consistent Medaille D’Or winner in Eauze (the local competition) and Paris, as well as three star and Coup de Coeur in Guide Hachette, and is entirely estate grown and bottled from their Lutte raisonnée farmed vines, certified by Haute Valeur Environnementale (HVE). (Importer)