domaine de souch sec 2017

"yvonne hegoburu is living proof that it is never too late to follow your winemaking dreams. after her husband’s death in 1987, yvonne decided to pursue viticulture for the first time at the age of 60. today, domaine de souch is comprised of 7 hectares of biodynamically farmed vines, which have been certified since 1994. it all started when yvonne and her husband rené purchased 16 hectares of land in southwest france. the couple lived together in the small hilltop village of laroin until 1987, when rené unexpectedly passed away. yvonne recalls how the duo would fervently discuss their winemaking dreams; in her husband’s honor, she set out to do just that. yvonne was taken by biodynamic early on. she believes that farming without herbicides and pesticides is the truest and most honest form of winemaking. her vines are double guyot trained and rooted into flinty clay soils. all fruit is hand-harvested and comes from south- facing vines grown at 1,000+ feet above sea level. yvonne’s vineyards are mostly dedicated to petit manseng and gros manseng, two of southwest france’s most well-known varieties. yvonne herself says it best in the acclaimed documentary, mondovino. “i planted vines when my husband died. ever since then, all this love inside me, i give it to the vines. i talk to them. i have an exchange with them. i ask them to drive their roots deep down into the soil to get the best from the land.” although well into her 90s, yvonne remains spry, energetic and full of life. we are so inspired by her robust work ethic and passion for honest viticulture. varieties: 60% gros manseng, 30% petit manseng, & 10% petit courbu vine age: 25 years. soil type: pebbly limestone. organic/biodynamic: yes/yes. vinification: fruit for this dry cuvée is hand-harvested and fermented in stainless steel to preserve aromas and freshness, followed by 50% aging in steel vats and 50% aging in oak barrels. this exotic and aromatic white wine depicts the true essence of dry jurançon wines. notes of citrus, lemon skin and white flowers dominate this ultra-refreshing palate, marked by nervy acidity and weighty texture. the high-acid and easy-drinking nature of this bottle is one of our go-to picks for apéro."