May's Wine of the Month – Domaine Duffour 2024 Cotes de Gascogne Blanc, Southwest France

This is the kind of wine I wish we had more of in this country. On first encounter, you'd be excused thinking this was a light Sancerre with its lightly herbaceous aroma, lemony citrus and green apple fruit flavors, minerality, and its tangy-tart finish. In fact, it is a fun aperitif wine crafted from 35+ year old vines of Colombard, Gros-Manseng, and Ugni Blanc (which the Italians call Trebbiano), the same grapes used in the fabled Armagnac brandies of the region. Modern winemaking has been able to transform this material into an inviting and tasty dry white wine, an excellent sipper when you get home from work. I predict this could be your next house wine; at just 11.5% alcohol, this wine can flow a little easier without being punished!