Très Vieux Pineau Lhéraud 1976, Pineau des Charentes
Très Vieux Pineau Lhéraud 1976, Pineau des Charentes
Price: 159,00€
DESCRIPTION
Legend has it that Pineau des Charentes, simply known as pineau, was randomly created by mistake (aka serendipity). Grape must was inadvertently spilled into an oak cask of eau de vie (brandy) and cognac. However, that’s where the randomness ends. Nothing is random in how the Lhéraud family makes pineau. Their quality products are the result of their know-how and passion. This 1976 vintage was aged in oak casks and is a blend of Ugni blanc, Folle Blanche and Colombard grapes. You may have never heard of them (and that' s OK), but they create a sweet and flavourful fortified wine. The bouquet is filled to the brim with notes of quince, roasted fig and a hint of vanilla. This pineau is the perfect match for melon with prosciutto, a sweet and sour asian dish, or a dessert like sugared strawberries.
REGION
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
France
Nouvelle-Aquitaine is the largest wine region in France, stretching from Poitiers to Pau through iconic areas such as Bordeaux, Cognac, Agen and Bergerac. It holds an exceptional diversity of terroirs, backed by centuries of winemaking and distilling know how, making it the birthplace of some of the most renowned spirits in the world.
In the north, in Charente and Charente Maritime, they make the famous Cognac, double distilled from white wines, and Pineau des Charentes, a fortified wine blending grape must and young cognac, loved for its freshness and roundness.
Further south, in the Gers, the Landes and Lot et Garonne, they produce Armagnac, the oldest brandy in France. Traditionally distilled in a continuous still, it comes from three areas: Haut Armagnac, Ténarèze and Bas Armagnac. These three terroirs sit on the Lannemezan alluvial fan, an ancient soil of sand, clay and pebbles from the erosion of the Pyrenees. They give expressive, elegant and nuanced brandies, with aromas of ripe fruit, sweet spice and dried fruit, revealed as they age in cask.
Recommended for you:
I had never tasted such an old Pineau. Incredibly complex palate, between rancio, blond tobacco, and candied orange.