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Writer's pictureHelmsley Wines

Domaine Gayda ‘En Passant’ Blanc, Pays d’Oc, France 2016 - Wine of the Month - November 2018

This month we bring you a wine which is designed as an ‘ode to’ producer Domaine Gayda’s spirit of creativity and inventiveness. Gayda’s philosophy is to make wines with a “free style or free spirit” approach using top notch grapes from selected vineyards allowing each year to produce a wine that reflects the growing season the year offers.


About the Producer:


Situated in the foothills of the Pyrenees, surrounded by its vineyards, lies Domaine Gayda in the Languedoc region of France. This new winery, with uninterrupted views of the Pyrenees Mountains, was built in 2004 by owners Tim Ford and Anthony Record who have joined forces with winemaker Vincent Chansault.


In the largest wine region of the world, Domaine Gayda strives to create wine with provenance and a sense of “being” that is a true reflection of the quality and diversity of the Languedoc Roussillon. While the grapes are rooted in tradition, the winery itself is all about the new, with investments in all the latest equipment and technology.


About the Wine:


‘En Passant’ is a quirky wine inspired by The Passenger, the classic pop-rock anthem by Iggy Pop. Producer Domaine Gayda has chosen to express the inherently restless character of this track through a red and a white wine which changes each year, and is made from a different vineyard, terroir and grape variety every vintage.


This ‘rolling stone’ concept is clearly mirrored in the labelling of En Passant with constantly changing imagery designed as a storyboard.


The 2016 vintage of En Passant blanc is made from a blend of 70% Macabeu grapes, and 30% Viognier grapes. The Viognier is harvested at full maturity and is placed in 3 year old barrels, whilst the Macabeu is harvested a few days before full maturity to showcase the freshness of fruit and its acidity before being placed in stainless steel vats.


The result is a delicious wine which is full of fruit, exoticism and pure freshness. Simply enjoy a chilled glass on its own, or pair with foods such as seafood linguine, goats’ cheese, or grilled salmon.

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