2022 Domaine Astruc dA Viognier

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 continues to acquire land despite the crisis and his departure to the battlefields of the First World War. In the 1950s, his son Pierre inherited the Domaine Astruc. It then includes over 30 hectares of vineyard and the resources 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. Jean-Claude Mas enters the picture in 2003: owner and winemaker of Les Domaines Paul Mas, a successful and independent family business in Pezenas, also in Languedoc. He had long worked with Astruc - the main source of their Vin de Pays wines - 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 is Jean-Claude Mas and he is without doubt the pioneer in the revival of Languedoc as a region for quality wines. Jean-Claude describes his wines as 'Le Luxe Rural', rural luxury. He has given the Languedoc 'new world' allure with international grape varieties. 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 company in the Netherlands that also carries the high-end Grandcrus by Paul Mas.

The Astruc Viognier is a 100% Viognier. The local climate in these vineyards is Mediterranean, but is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. The soil is calcareous with a sandy structure and locally strongly siliceous. The grapes are harvested partly manually and partly mechanically during the night to prevent oxidation. Fermentation at a constant temperature of 16 ° C. No malolactic fermentation. After this, about 40% of the wine matures in barrels of French and American oak.

In the glass, this Astruc Viognier has a light golden yellow color with fresh aromas in the nose of fresh and dried fruit: apricots, white peaches, pear and honey. On the palate, the wine is rich and aromatic as belongs to a Viognier with a beautiful structure and surprisingly long finish. This is a Viognier with an excellent price / quality ratio. The Astruc is delicious as a standalone glass and of course an excellent companion for fish, seafood, white meat and desserts with fruit.