Clos Rocailleux, Gaillac Mauzac Blanc Sec 2013, France
Clos Rocailleux is a tiny five-hectare estate in Gaillac run by British husband and wife team, Jack and Margaret Reckitt. I recommended their rosé in my summer pinks roundup, but I was also taken with this fairly steely but in its way, charming, white. There are quite a number of British ex-pats who have travelled to France in search of a winemaking dream, and it is remarkable in some ways just how many of them have done it extremely successfully, winning multiple awards and earning respect locally and internationally for their wines.
This shimmering white is made from the green-appley Mauzac grape this is not a wine for lovers of tropical Kiwi Sauvignon or lusciously peachy Viognier: it is strict, almost neutral at first, but its taut apple and citric personality, the cut and verve of its styling, is really appealing. It has good texture and a bit of saline in the finish, but it is by no stretch of the imagination mean: it is always hinting at a more sexy ripeness of fruit - but only ever hinting. Watch the video for my full review, including much more detail and food matching suggestions.
£11.99, redsquirrelwine.com.
Please also join me at wine-pages.com and check out my youtube channel at youtube.com/user/winepagesTV or meet up on facebook at facebook.com/tom.cannavan.