2020 Château du Cèdre “Blandine Le Blanc”, Côtes de Gascogne IGP, South-West, France

ABOUT THIS WINE

Their Blandine Le Blanc is a blend of Colombard and Ugni Blanc grown on two different soil types: limestone/clay and silica/clay. The vines average 30 years of age. After harvest, the wine stays in contact with the skins for 24 hours, is then cold-settled for 48 hours before being in stainless steel and aged in tank for 3 months. The result is a light, crisp wine perfect as an aperitif or an accompaniment to light vegetable dishes and salads.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Pascal Verhaeghe and his brother, Jean-Marc, bring a welcome refinement to the wines of picturesque Cahors, located about an hour and a half east of Bordeaux. Their father began making wines at Château du Cèdre in the 1970s, and the fun-loving sons took over in the 1990s, banning all herbicides and chemicals, and adopting a domaine motto: "Move forward, experience new ways." Cahors wines are made predominantly from Malbec and known for being powerful, rich and dark. Pascal and Jean-Marc build on these terroir-driven qualities to produce wines that are very polished and remarkably balanced. These wines are quite approachable when young, but they also age exceptionally well. The estate's signature cedar tree also graces the labels of their Cedrus wines. The well-priced reds and whites are a great introduction to the wines of southwest France.