Picpoul de Pinet, Château de la Mirande 2025

Sometimes thought of as the Muscadet of the south Picpoul de Pinet is just as zingy, crisp and dry as its Loire Valley counterpart, but often has a little bit more of a grapey feel about it which probably accounts for it's great popularity in recent years. For Joseph Albajan's Château de la Mirande the proximity to the sea of his vines seems to lend a bright and briny character to site alongside the hint of white flowers and plentiful ripe green fruit at the core. It's not at all austere, but nicely mouthfilling while retaining all the zip and zing expected of a wine like this.

Nicely chilled it's perfect to sip on a sunny afternoon just by itself. As well as that it'll take a platter of fresh oysters and mussels to a whole new level.

Just outside the village of Castelnau-de-Guers and overlooking the oyster producing saltwater lagoon Etang de Thau in between Sète and the Mediterranean Joseph Albajan's 30 hectare estate, Domaine de la Mirande, sits spreading through the Mediterranean garrigue. It's, in part, sited on pebble covered soils which store the sun's heat during the day a release it slowly during the night allowing his fruit to attain the optimum of ripeness and help make his Picpoul de Pinet wines reach their peak mouthwatering zingyness.