2022 Domaine Astruc Chardonnay Réserve Sud de France

Jean Astruc, coachman in Limoux, has a dream: his own wine estate. The dream came true in 1862, with the acquisition of 12 hectares of vineyard in Malras. His son Jean Astruc has the same ideal and, despite the crisis and his departure to the battlefields of the First World War, continues to acquire land. In the fifties, his son Pierre inherits the Domaine Astruc. It then includes more than 30 hectares of vineyard and the means to exploit it. In 1977, after completing his studies, Pierre's son, Jacques Astruc, returned to Malras to continue building the Domaine Astruc with his father. The Domaine Astruc has continued to grow ever since and has evolved into a modern winery. Jean-Claude Mas entered the picture in 2003: owner and winemaker of Les Domaines Paul Mas, a successful and independent family business in Pezenas, also in the Languedoc. He had been working with Astruc – the main source of their Vin de Pays wines – for a long time and decided to buy the Domaine. The d'A series is the first fruit of this purchase.

Domaines Paul Mas was founded in 1892. The current owner, Jean-Claude Mas, is without doubt the pioneer in the revival of the Languedoc as a region for quality wines. Jean-Claude characterizes his wines as 'Le Luxe Rural', rural luxury. With international grape varieties he has given Languedoc a 'new world' allure. And with his fashionable wines from local grapes, he has made the local character of the Languedoc hip again among wine lovers. Hubrecht Duijker rightly calls Jean-Claude Mas a 'wine wizard' and at Grandcruwijnen we are the only one in the Netherlands to also carry the high-end Grandcrus of Paul Mas.

The Astruc Chardonnay Reserve from Paul Mas is a 95% wood-aged Chardonnay with 5% Mauzac, so a wine with that famous butter. The wine is full-bodied but surprisingly light and lively, rich and with remarkable length. After picking, the wine slowly ferments at a low temperature of 16°C with partial malolactic fermentation (60%) so that the acids are preserved and the wine does not become woolly as too often happens with barrique chardonnays. The wine is allowed to mature in oak barrels, 1/3 of which are new and 2/3 are 2 years old. Half of these barrels are French, the other half American. In the glass, the Asstruc Chardonnay Reserve has a light fresh golden yellow color with intense notes of flowers, a little brioche and vanilla and notes of pineapple, lime and quince in the nose.

Gold Medal on the Chardonnay du Monde This Chardonnay has an unprecedented good price / quality and this is what typifies allPaul Mas wines. It is not for nothing that Paul Mas has been elected European Winery of 2020.