SANCET COTES DE GASCOGNE 2011

Description:
Wine Style:  Medium White

Sancet comes from the  Côtes de Gascogne appellation which is located in Gascony, south west of Bordeaux.  Domaines de Sancet lie in Saint-Martin-d'Armagnac on a sloping plateau facing the Pyrenean mountains.  This area is very well-known for its strong culinary tradition with duck and foie gras and the production of Armagnac (the oldest brandy in France). Domaine de Sancet is owned by the mayor of the village,  Alain Faget, who also makes Armagnac, Floc, liqueurs and wines under the Madirans and Pacherenc appellations.

This wine is made with Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc grapes.  Colombard is traditionally grown in Gascony for distilling into Cognac and Armagnac. It is an early fruiting variety which is used to provide backbone, due to its natural acidic character.   Ugni Blanc is also known as Trebbiano and although fruity its high acidity makes it important in Armagnac production.  Gros Manseng produces intensely flavoured wines with high acidity, apricot and quince fruit along with spicy and floral notes.

Sancet  is beautifully balanced, bright, and refreshing with lush flavours of ripe pear, melon, guava, cucumber, apple and lemon.  There is a light beeswax note which adds  complexity, a hint of slight sweetness (this should not deter lovers of white wine) and a touch of minerality on the finish. 

This wine is well structured wine and is food friendly.  It pairs well with all fish dishes, seafood (particularly oysters and scallops), Mediterranean fayre such as Bouillabaise or Paella, pork and poultry as well as game birds (Guinea Fowl), Asian cuisine and strong cheeses.

Alan Hunter:   Vino Club: My Wines of the Week
Sancet, Cotes de Gascogne
I matched a couple of wines over the week-end at my Private Dining Venue - The Vineyards - for a party of 18 guests. They had chosen a menu beforehand so I had time to research some interesting wines to match all the courses. I needed just a red and a white and as I had no previous knowledge of their taste in wine, the choices had to flexible and adaptable to suit the guests and the menu.

So with the assistance of Nick Stephens from Bordeaux Undiscovered we chose - Sancet Cotes de Gascogne 2011. This white wine was bursting with a combination of flavours of fresh melon, ripe pears and hint of guava, also a lovely fragrant undertone of soft liquorice. Great with both the Duck and Pork Fillet, the aubergine dish and the ravioli. If a white was needed throughout, then this was the one!

This wine was an interesting blend of Ugni Blanc, Colombard, Gros Manseng [the grape used to make the delicious wine from Jurançon] with a 10% support of Sauvignon Blanc. Everyone loved it, a very good wine therefore a very good choice!

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