Domaine Plageoles Gaillac L'Ondenc Sec 2020

Domaine Plageoles Gaillac L'Ondenc Sec is a dry, organically grown white made from Ondenc, an ancient Tarn variety that was almost extinct.

Gaillac in the South West is one of the oldest vineyard districts in France and holds a deep bank of local varieties that survive almost nowhere else. The Plageoles family has spent three generations rescuing them, and under Florent Plageoles the domaine's whites have gained noticeably in texture and clarity. This bottling comes from a small parcel of Ondenc planted in 1983, at a point when the variety was on the verge of disappearing. Plageoles began with just two rows rooted in the argilo-calcaire of Cahuzac-sur-Vère and has gradually increased the plantings since. The winemaking is plain: whole-bunch pressing, a wild ferment in concrete, and bottling without filtration. The estate is certified organic. Jon Bonné has described the wine as tasting like a Rhône white with iodine and peat moss added, though in cooler Atlantic-influenced years it carries sharper acidity than that suggests. Here it is fuzzy orchard fruit, scented florals and subtle spice over a saline vein.

Drink over the next four or five years. Serve at 10-12°C with roast pork, grilled chicken or a cassoulet of white beans.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.