Saturday, April 21, 2018

A LIP-SMACKING LIP-STINGER: PICPOUL DE PINET


This month the French #winophiles are in the Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France, bordering Spain, Andorra, and the Mediterranean Sea. If the geography hasn't given it away: this region is home to a variety of warm weather wines including those made from Picpoul, aka Folle Blanche. The soil - often the soul - of wine, here is primarily limestone and sand.

Limestone soil is an abundant source of plant-accessible CaCO3, calcium carbonate, and because limestone is basic, it allows greater nutrient uptake by the vines. It also has excellent water retention and drainage capacity, which allow less irrigation and less chance of water-logged soils that grapevines dislike. Calcareous (calcium carbonate-based) soil is also cooler in temperature, allowing delayed ripening of grapes. Delayed ripening in naturally acidic grapes further increases the acidity of the wine pressed from these grapes, and results in wines with a mouthwatering, delicious, acidity such as in Picpoul de Pinet or even Muscadet (melon de bourgogne) wines from the Loire Valley. A majority of these wines are best enjoyed within 3 years or so, although a rare few can be cellared for a few decades. I cant imagine why anyone would want to cellar such delicious wines that are perfect for summer and seafood!

Picpoul is not a grape commonly seen in the US, and neither is wine made from it. The one I was able to easily find was the 2016 Hugues Beaulieu (HB) Picpoul de Pinet. HB is a  cave cooperative in the Pomérols region of Languedoc. This wine has no oak, is a pale yellow colour with a green tinge. It is a "steely" bone-dry, crisp wine with juicy acidity and aromas and flavour notes of grapefruit, lemon, green apple, and salinity. The finish is medium and clean - overall a delicious wine!

As with Muscadet, the Picpoul would pair splendidly with seafood - oysters especially, or fatty river fish such as trout or eels. But it also holds well with rich dishes - ones with bechamel sauce, chèvre, or cream. Wild mushrooms are a delicacy of Languedoc and a favourite around our house, so we paired the Picpoul with croûtes aux champignons: creamy mushrooms on toast, and a green salad.


See what the other #winophiles are saying here:
  • Michelle of Rockin Red Blog says, "Picpoul...Take Me Away."
  • Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm encourages us to Pick a Picpoul to Enjoy al Fresco This Summer.
  • Susannah of Avvinare features Picpoul de Pinet - A Refreshing White from the Languedoc.
  • Jill of L'Occasion shares Mediterranean Bliss: Picpoul de Pinet.
  • Jeff of FoodWineClick! pairs Picpoul de Pinet and Steak Tartare Redemption. 
  • Nicole of Somm's Table writes Cooking to the Wines: Font-Mars Picpoul de Pinet with Crab Cakes and Fennel-Apple Salad.
  • Payal of Keep the Peas posts A Lip-Smacking Lip-Stinger: Picpoul de Pinet.
  • David of Cooking Chat makes a case for Picpoul Wine with Pesto and Other Pairings.
  • Lauren of The Swirling Dervish says Picpoul de Pinet: Your Go-To Wine for Spring.
  • Lynn of Savor the Harvest asserts The Single Variety Wine For Summer- Picpoul de Pinet.
  • Gwendolyn of Wine Predator has Picpoul Goes Southern with Shrimp and Grits.
  • Rupal of Syrah Queen will also have a title soon.
  • Jane of Always Ravenous pairs Halibut with Spring Vegetables and Picpoul Wine.
  • Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles shares Picpouls from Pinet and California and a Seaside Pairing
  • At Culinary Adventures with Camilla, we're Pairing Bourride à la Sétoise with Picpoul From France to California's Central Coast.

18 comments:

  1. Your pairing is quintessentially French! I love the simplicity of pairing a few, high-quality ingredients full of flavor and texture. Sounds like it went really nicely with the wine!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, yes we really enjoyed the creamy mushrooms with the lively wine!

      Delete
  2. Love wild mushrooms too, and easy dished for weeknights, especially when the weather gets warmer. Thanks for sharing your pairing Payal!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lynn! Yes such a quick dish, we had it outside over brunch and it was superb!

      Delete
  3. So, wild mushrooms sound amazing. Do you forage for them? I'm not brave enough for that. Thanks for joining us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for hosting Cam! No I don't forage for them mainly because of time... but here in the San Francisco Bay Area we have a couple of stores that carry seasonal wild produce like fiddlehead ferns, wild mushrooms, ramps, etc.

      Delete
  4. I love the thought of those mushroom toasts with that refreshing Picpoul! Thanks for the soil lesson on the area, I had not seen that analysis.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jeff, glad you liked the soil info. Geology is part of my work so I'm always thinking about soil.

      Delete
  5. Looks really delicious- how did they work together?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks... they were terrific together. The creaminess of the mushrooms complements the wine very well!

      Delete
  6. I think mushrooms was a great choice. I think the earthiness would bring out the brightness of the wine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Wendy, the earthiness and creaminess of the dish was delicious with the wine.

      Delete
  7. Thank you for the soil lesson! One of my next areas of in-depth focus is soils. I have the book "The Dirty Guide to Wine" all about soil and wine, I bet you have read it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you liked the bit about soil... terroir is important. I've had the book for a while but I've neglected to read it fully :-/ I'll make it a point to read it! I'm in holes in the ground for work all the time so I am always very aware of soil and what it can do.

      Delete
  8. I love the mushrooms in this - very cool choice. I tasted the same wine and really enjoyed it. A hit!

    Welcome to Winophiles, happy to have you join us!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jill, yes the wine is delicious! So glad to be part of the Winophiles!

      Delete
  9. Great choice Payal. I had never thought of mushrooms. Thanks for adding to my Picpoul food pairing ideas. It looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sounds delicious! I've had a good amount of Picpoul but don't think I've tried it with mushrooms. Thanks for the idea!

    ReplyDelete