Jean-Baptiste Souillard Marsanne 2020

Jean-Baptiste Souillard Marsanne is a single-vineyard white from a 0.2-hectare parcel at Capestang in the Hérault, made with a short period on skins.

Marsanne is a northern Rhône variety at heart, but Souillard sources this one from well south, west of Béziers, where a cooler north-facing aspect and clay-limestone soils offset the warmth of the Languedoc. Careful canopy management does the rest, and the fruit was picked on 31 August to hold the acidity. The wine is generous in texture but its defining feature is a chiselled freshness that Marsanne this far south rarely retains. After a short maceration on skins the grapes were basket-pressed, and some press wine was included in the blend, which firms up the structure and gives the faintly grippy, skin-worked character that makes the wine work at the table. Fermentation was spontaneous in old oak and the wine spent two winters in the same barrels, going through full malolactic conversion.

Drinking now and good for four or five years. Serve at 10-12°C with roast pork belly, grilled octopus or a hard sheep’s milk cheese.

*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.