Producer Profile: Set against the verdant rolling lowlands of the Aquitaine Basin in France’s Southwest, Camille & Mathias Marquet are the young couple behind Château Lestignac. Having inherited a family farm in 2008, they work 7 hectares of Merlot, Cabs Franc & Sauv, Semillon, Sauv Blanc, Muscadelle & Ugni Blanc vines amidst a newly planted/planting polyculture of cereals, groves olive & fig trees, apple & pear orchards in addition to one of the most floral cover-crop situations we’ve seen in all of France! They keep livestock – sheep, chickens, cattle, and horse or two – all of whom contribute in one way or another to the polycultural farm! Practicing biodynamic, Mathias & Camille endeavor to create sparklingly fresh snapshots of France’s Sud-Ouest, a huge region that is too often overlooked as between-Bordeaux-and-the-Coast. In addition to their own vines – furthering the vision of giving more exposure to the forested wines of the region – they’ve started ‘Hors Les Murs’ (translates to “Outside The Walls”), a négoce project sourcing grapes from some of their favorite organic/biodynamically farming neighbors.

Vinification: 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon, sourced from a certified biodynamic vineyard in Monestier, just six minutes from Château Lestignac, where the soil type is mostly limestone and clay. The grapes are hand-picked by the winemakers and then transported back to Chateau Lestignac, where they are direct pressed and fermented in concrete tank for two months, racked into another concrete tank for a short aging period, racked one more time to clarify the wine from the lees, and finally bottled unfined, unfiltered with a touch of sulphur at bottling. 

Tasting: A pale, crystal-clear, clean straw color in the glass. The nose is vaguely tropical, but subtle in aromatics. The palate is full of green and yellow fruits, like starfruit and meyer lemon. Perfect acidity mingles with a waxy texture like shea butter. Would be the perfect accompaniment to an early Spring meal like grilled asparagus and a lemony pasta dish.