More widely used in the production of Cognac and Armagnac in France, Ugni blanc is a white grape variety that has its roots in Italy, where it is more commonly known as Trebbiano Toscano. Wines made from these tough-skinned berries tend to have low alcohol as they don't accumulate high sugar content, light and tart - a style that saw its decline in the past (as far as dry wines were concerned) when big, bold, powerful and oaky whites were highly fashionable. Fortunately the rise of natural wines in the world scene has also seen a gradual revival amongst the younger and more adventurous winemakers seeking ingenuity and fruit purity in Ugni blanc, but by and large, its use in brandy production in France still reigns supreme, at least for now.
Méryl Croizier's micro cuvée of Ugni blanc comes in the form of "Q Blanc" (only 1000 bottles made each year), where the grapes are harvested manually, then fermented spontaneously by native yeasts and aged on fine lees for approximately a year before bottling without any fining, filtration or added sulphur.
Zingy, crisp, and bright with lime, soursop, yellow grapefruit, green guava and a little saline notes of pineapple kombucha, this wine has a tingling and mouth-watering acidity that will be excellent with har jeong gai (fried chicken wings marinated in prawn paste), steamed barramundi with ginger & scallion oyster sauce, traditional spaghetti carbonara, soft cheeses like St-Marcellin, Livarot or banon wrapped in chestnut leaf, and crispy, salted Tempeh chips.
We will be receiving a tiny allocation of Méryl's wines this coming October, and if you haven't read about our exclusive pre-arrival offer yet, do check it out here! If you grab 6 bottles or more of the 2020 "Q Blanc" or any mixed case (12 bottles) of Croizier's latest offerings, we will be sending you a complimentary bag of utterly scrumptious tempeh chips to go with the wines too - just enter FREETEMPEH in the promo code area when you fill out the order form. Don't say we bojio!
