Domaine La Madura "Canopé" Blanc '19

Domaine La Madura is a labor of love. Cyril and Nadia Bourgne purchased existing vineyards in 1998, having made wine for many years in a tiny cellar located on the outskirts of the village. What is special about the region of Saint-Chinian, and one of the things that drew Cyril to the region, is the diversity of its soil. Most appellations in the Languedoc are mono-terroir, one type of soil, but that is not the case in this region. The family has planted a range of varieties in the different parcels, on different soil types. Blending is a huge part of what makes the La Madura wines what they are. While much has changed in the past decade at La Madura—a new winery, more vineyards—one thing that hasn’t changed is that you still can find Cyril in the vineyards every day. 

The “Canopé” blanc is made of 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Piquepoul. The grapes are harvested by hand, and fermentation and aging take place in barrels, with lees stirring. It was Cyril's experience working in Pessac-Léognan at Château de Fieuzal that inspired him to make this very Bordeaux-inspired version. To our taste, this wine outdoes most of the white Bordeaux from Graves and Pessac-Léognan that we taste these days!

Try this with a range of seafood, meat, and veggie dishes, including those made with spices such as curry, ginger, and preserved lemons. It also goes well with pressed cheeses such as Comté and Beaufort.