Picpoul
TL; DR
The frisky and fresh French white grape to fall in love with.
So, what's Picpoul all about?--red
Picpoul (aka Piquepoul) makes wonderfully crisp, lemon-scented white wines, sometimes with a little tropical juiciness, sometimes with floral fragrance in the lighter styles. Picpoul’s high acidity makes it always a fresh white wine, especially in the south of France, where it is renowned for its vitality. We’re now seeing more Picpoul around the globe, with everyone loving this fresh and zippy white wine (and who wouldn't?).
Where did Picpoul come from?--aromatic
The south of France is the home of Picpoul, in the department of the Vaucluse (which includes parts of the Rhone & Provence wine regions)
Where's Picpoul famously from?--racy
Naturally, southern France is the Picpoul place, especially the Picpoul de Pinet appellation of the Languedoc-Roussillon, which straddles the coast south of Montpelier and is famous for the most breezy Picoul on the planet. You’ll also see Picpoul added as a blending grape across southern France, giving all those other white wines in regions like Châteauneuf-du-Pape a little fresh pick-me-up! There are also smatterings of Picpoul in California, northern Spain and a few vines now in Australia.
What does Picpoul taste like?--aromatic
Usually light to just medium bodied, Picpoul can be aromatic and pretty, with scents of lemon and honeysuckle, but also with a little stonefruit and tropical fruit in the riper wines. We don’t mind seeing a bit more juiciness really, as the riper Picpoul releases are a fruity delight! Nearly always made dry, especially thanks to its naturally fresh acidity, the best Picpoul wines also have a gentle creamy texture too, just to up the flavour a bit. Best drunk young, fresh and well chilled on a hot day to revel in the liveliness.
What are the mains styles of Picpoul--lemon
There’s only one main style: a fresh, typically unoaked, crisp, aromatic white wine.
How is Picpoul made?--cellar
It’s all about preserving freshness with Picpoul, so it's usually made without oak influence and all about getting from grape to bottle ASAP. That means all the winemaking happens in a stainless steel tank, usually with cool fermentations and winemaking without oxygen for maximum tang. Sometimes, these wines are kept on yeast lees, but not usually - why mess with the fresh?
What foods pair with Picpoul?--pizza
There’s an old saying in the wine industry that ‘what grows together goes together”, and the famed Thau Lagoon - one of France’s most important oyster-growing locations - sits alongside the Picpoul de Pinet region. Fresh oyster and fresh Picpoul really is a match made in heaven, no matter where you are. Beyond shellfish, Picpoul works great with white fish and is such an excellent light choice with salads that include a fried element (it’s also great with Caesar salad). Or just fried food in general, with its acidity able to cut through fried and fatty food with ease.
Recipes to pair with Picpoul--earth
Ponzu Oysters
Easy Veggie Caesar Salad
Korean Fried Chicken
Bream with Sweet Potato Salad
Fun fact--eggplant
Picpoul isn’t just one grape; it’s a family! There are three Picpoul/Piquepoul grapes, all different mutations - Picpoul Blanc (which is the most common grape and the focus of this article), Picpoul Noir (a red version that makes light chillable reds) and the rare Picpoul Gris (which is pinkish and perfect for rosé).
If you like this, you should also give these grapes a guzzle...--wines
About the Author
Andrew Graham is a master winemaker and viticulturist (aka a grape guy) who fell into the wine industry as a teenager and never looked back! Voted the 23rd most trusted wine critic on the planet, Andrew judges at wine shows across the globe and runs foolishly long ultramarathons in his spare time (swiftly followed by a recuperative glass of wine or a frosty beer).