Why Picpoul de Pinet belongs in your life this summer
Tesco Finest Pecorino Terre di Chieti is an outstanding lemony, breezy and easy white
Picpoul is a southern French grape most famous for the seaside bottles of Picpoul de Pinet from the coastal vineyards between Pézenas and Sète.
But here’s a handy pub quiz fact: it’s also one of the blending grapes in the recipe for Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
If you haven’t sipped it, Picpoul’s light, lemony and breezy style belongs in your life this summer with prices remaining favourable at £5-£10.
My general rule is to drink the freshest and most recent possible and serve it chilled on its own or with shellfish.
Three excellent examples are Tesco Finest 2014 (12.5 per cent, £7.99 – on offer for £5.99 until April 21), Marks and Spencer 2014 (12.5 per cent, £8.50), or Villemarin 2014 in Majestic (12.5 per cent, on offer for £6.74 when you buy two).
Really excellent Picpoul can survive a little longer, such as Domaine Félines Jourdan 2013 (13 per cent) at the Wine Society, which is still tasting fantastic for just £7.50 a bottle.
Similar seaside whites include northern French Muscadet, Portuguese Vinho Verde, Italian Pecorino, Spanish Albariño, Mediterranean Vermentino, and Basque Txakoli (said Cha-koh-lee), which is as racy, sharp and dazzling as a lemon travelling at the speed of light.
OLLY'S PICK OF THE BUNCH
