Since 1912 Château du Tariquet has been home to the Grassa family. They first gained notoriety for Hélène and Pierre Grassa’s Armagnac.

They began producing white wine in 1982. Yves Grassa broke into winemaking by breaking the rules. He was the first in the region to plant chardonnay, sauvignon or chenin grapes, which were far from popular in those days. Furthermore, he produced blends of sworn enemies such as chardonnay with sauvignon, or chenin with chardonnay. Today, their portfolio includes 9 white wines and a rosé.

I was intrigued by the Chenin/Chardonnay blend — and was pretty impressed with the results.

Light golden straw in color. Floral and exotic fruit aromatics. On the palate, there are some contrasts and complexities with the Chenin Blanc/Chardonnay blend. From the Chenin (75%), crisp notes of apple and minerality with a hint of saltiness. The Chardonnay (25%) seems to add richness, body, structure and creaminess. There is also an underlying sweet and sour component (which I think really makes it a interesting pairing for Indian and Asian cuisines, as they often have a sweet and sour as well).

Drinkable and food friendly at 12% alcohol. Serve as an apertif, with seafood, or as stated with Asian or Indian dishes. A very good value at about $8-11 a bottle. Imported by Robert Kacher.

Tariquet uses organic fertilizer and the use of sulphites has been reduced to a minimum. The estate also features a water treatment facility and they recycle and reuse all materials.