Blanc 'Pique Poule' Opi D'Aqui 2023

“Pique Poule” by Opi d’Aqui represents the interpretation of a great classic among the southern French grape varieties by the iconoclastic vigneron Philippe Formentin. The term Piquepoul, which can also be found in the Anglo-Saxon indication Picpoul, precisely refers to what is expressed by the graphic on the label: a chicken pecking at grains. Unable to report the indication of the variety, this wine without denomination is baptized with a fun variation on the name.

“Pique Poule” is a creation of Opi d’Aqui obtained from the vinification of Piquepoul in purity, the legendary variety of the French Mediterranean coast and particularly from the areas around the town of Sète, stretched over a thin strip of land between the sea and the salty lagoon of Thau, in the department of Hérault. The vineyard of about 1 hectare is located in the village of Pinet, practically at sea level and features a soil with a characteristic clay-limestone composition: the climate, dry and ventilated, benefits from the contributionsof humidity from the breezes of the Mediterranean and from the freshwater reserve constituted by the lake of Salagou. The grapes are grown under certified organic farming and with the further use of the principles of biodynamic agriculture: they are hand-harvested in small 10-kilo boxes and pressed directly upon arrival at the winery. The fermentation is spontaneous and takes place solely thanks to the work of indigenous yeasts. The aging involves a stay on the fine lees for a period of 6 months: 50% in used oak barrels, the other half in stainless steel tank. Bottling is done without any manipulation and with homeopathic additions of sulfites, as needed.

clear and very pleasant confirmation of the varietal: a medium-bodied structure well balanced between the ripeness of the fruit and the pronounced notes of marine freshness, which extend into a particularly salty finish. An example of a white to drink throughout the year, traditionally paired with oysters or the typical “tielle de poulpe sètoise”, a kind of octopus pie.