DOMAINE DU TARIQUET Côtes de Gascogne Chardonnay 7 x 750 ml

From 19th-century bear trainers to 21st-century winemakers, every family has a story to tell…
Towards the end of the 19th century, rural France had a hard time feeding all its children, which lead many of those in the countryside to emigrate, in the hope of finding a better future…

This sets the scene for our story. The village of Ercé lies at the foot of the Pyrenees, in Ariège. Given their proximity to the natural habitat of mountain bears, the inhabitants were particularly skilled in the art of bear taming. Thus, young Artaud was a bear tamer by trade. With his two trusty beasts, whose names history has forgotten, he left in search of work and adventure, travelled the world, crossed the ocean, and finally settled in the United States, where he lived contentedly… Until a longing for his roots drove him to set off once again in search of somewhere to spend his old age. Returning to France in 1912, he saw the Tariquet and instantly fell in love with the area. Yet with the savings he had, he realised he could not afford to buy the property.

He therefore turned to his son, Jean Pierre, who had stayed in New York and had married Pauline, a pretty young girl, also from Ariège. Jean Pierre worked as a bartender, mixing elegant cocktails in a popular bar in town… Together, father and son bought the Tariquet wine estate.
This fine wine offers delicacy, strength and good structure, having fermented and aged in fine-grained French oak barrels. Its subtle bouquet reveals floral notes, fresh butter and hints of vanilla. Fresh and intense at entry, rich flavours then give way to pleasant toasty notes. Shades of vanilla oak underline the Chardonnay’s well-rounded palate and aromatic intensity.

Paired with

Serve slightly chilled. Excellent with fish, white meat and cheese.