2023 Domaine Astruc dA Viognier

Jean Astruc, coachman in Limoux, has a dream: his own wine estate. The dream became reality 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 Domaine Astruc. It then includes more than 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. In 2003, Jean-Claude Mas came into the picture: 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 for a long time – the main source of their Vin de Pays wines – and decided to purchase 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 a 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 the Languedoc '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 ones in the Netherlands who also carry the high-end Grandcru's from Paul Mas.

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

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