Rémi Larroque (Mary Taylor) "Gaillacoise" Pétillant Naturel NV

Mary Taylor is the founder of Mary Taylor Wine, and she works with wine growers and producers making wines that, while reflecting their region and traditions, can be enjoyed every day. The front of each bottle highlights the name of the farmer or farmers who bottled the wine, who in this case are Nathalie and Rémi Larroque, who practice sustainable farming to cultivate indigenous grapes in Gaillac.

The winery has been in Nathalie’s family since 1540, and the vines are planted on clay and limestone. The vineyards sit on a 360-degree hill, with the farmhouse at the top. The Gaillacoise pétillant naturel is made from 15- to 20-year-old vines of the native grape Mauzac, in the méthode ancestrale, an ancient method of making sparkling wine that relies on a single fermentation. 

For this wine, the fermentation begins in stainless steel, and the grape must is then bottled before it has fully fermented. As the natural yeasts of the grapes consume the remaining sugars, bubbles are produced and trapped in the bottle, creating a pétillant wine. The wine is bottled in November of the harvest year, completes fermentation and rests on the lees during winter, and is disgorged in the following March.

Made in a crisp, light, dry style, the wine shows notes of yellow apple and pear, ripe stone fruit, and light floral notes. Easy to enjoy on its own as an aperitif, or pair it with a cheese plate or a range of light dishes, from salads to seafood.