Domaine Montesquiou, Jurancon Sec, 2023

Jurançon is one of the most beautiful parts of France, set in the lush, green, rolling foothills of the Pyrénées, just to the west of Pau. It is also a challenging area for viticulture, only possible at sites offering both shelter from spring frosts and optimal exposure. There are many dramatic, south facing amphitheatre shaped vineyards through the different zones of the appellation, grouped around the villages of Monein, Chapelle de Rousse and Lasseube. Domaine Montesquiou is in Monein’s Quartier Haut Ucha, where brothers Fabrice and Sébastien reintroduced ancient grape varieties, such as petit courbu, camaralet and lauzet, to bring more complexity and singularity to their dry whites. As Monein is both the lowest zone and the farthest from the Pyrénées, the climate tends to be slightly warmer – the domaine’s wines show this with their silky flesh and riper fruit, while keeping the electric bite for which Jurançon wines are famous.