Jurançon Sec, South-West France
Jean-Marc Grussaute, a native of the Béarn region and a former professional rugby player, returned to "his hill" in 1988 to manage the family estate with a precision that borders on the architectural. He manages 9.5 hectares of biodynamic vineyards in the heart of the Pyrenean foothills, where the vines are planted on steep, southeast-facing terraces of clay, flint, and ancient "puddingstone" subsoils. 'La Part Davant'—meaning the "oriental part" of the vineyard—is a singular and honest blend of the region's archetypal varieties: Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu.
The grapes are hand-harvested from vines ranging from 10 to 80 years old, then fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for eight months on fine lees in a combination of large foudres, barrels, and concrete eggs.
The result is a white wine of incredible structural integrity and "living" energy, delivering intense notes of white peach, orange zest, and pineapple, pinned together by a racy, elegant acidity and a signature saline finish that speaks of the deep roots and healthy soils of the Camin Larredya estate.
