Clos Lapeyre 2021 La Magendia, Jurancon - Half Bottle

Sweet Jurançon is a southwest France specialty, a lighter, fresher sweet wine than Sauternes made entirely from Petite Manseng, a grape nobody I know grows in California.  La Magendia means "the best" in the local Béarnais dialect, and the name fits.  Importer notes:  “100% Petit Manseng—the grapes are raisinated (passerillés) by the strong sun and warm southern winds, and not harvested until November, with 3, sometimes 4, pass-throughs (the last of which might happen in December). At this point the juice is harder to extract and pressing takes longer. The wine is then fermented for 2-3 months in new oak barrels, and aged for 12-18 months in those same barrels. Nuances of exotic fruits (pineapple, mango, passion fruit). Powerful, yet controlled toast and vanilla flavors, with a hint of additional wood spice. Plenty of fat on the palate is accented by a citrus note on the finish which helps lift the fruit to new levels. Very good length.”

Sounds yummy, doesn’t it?