Picpoul de Pinet now has its own dedicated celebration day on the second Friday of June (tomorrow!) Here’s your One Minute Wine Ace Guide to help you make the most of it. Grab a bottle and raise a glass!
What is Picpoul de Pinet?
Picpoul de Pinet is a crisp white wine from the Languedoc on the Mediterranean coast of southern France. Piquepoul is the official, older name of the grape variety in this area, which translates roughly as ‘lip-stinger’ - fairly accurate, given the acidity you’re in for, although ‘Picpoul’ is the spelling that seems to have stuck and the one virtually everyone recognises. Even the official appellation itself uses it!
Picpoul de Pinet became its own appellation in 2013, which for a wine this unpretentious is a relatively recent badge of honour. Look out for the bottle shape too. Many producers use a tall, slender, slightly tapered green bottle with embossing reminiscent of an old French perfume bottle. It’s a useful shortcut when you’re scanning the wine aisles in a hurry.
Where is it?
Picpoul de Pinet wraps around the Étang de Thau, a vast saltwater lagoon separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land. This is serious oyster and mussel territory and one of France’s most important shellfish farming areas. The vineyards sit on a plateau of clay and limestone overlooking the lagoon, catching cooling sea breezes that keep the grapes fresh. The nearest city is Montpellier, about 30 minutes away by car, with the village of Pinet itself giving the wine its name.
What does Picpoul de Pinet taste like?
Bone dry, bracingly acidic and coastal in the most literal sense. Think green apple, lemon and lime, white flowers and a distinct salinity that tastes almost like sea spray. There’s often a faint bitterness on the finish, almost like grapefruit pith, which is part of its charm. It’s best served properly cold.
If it had a character, it would be windsurfer on the lagoon with wind in her hair…
Picpoul de Pinet Food Pairing
This is, quite simply, one of the great oyster wines of the world. The acidity cuts straight through the brininess and the wine’s own salinity makes it feel like an extension of the dish, sweetening up the fleshiness.
Beyond oysters, it’s brilliant with any shellfish. It handles fried food surprisingly well too, the acidity cutting through any oiliness. Goat’s cheese is another classic match, and it’s a reliable partner for anything with citrus, herbs or a touch of chilli.
Try These!
Ormarine ‘Villemarin’ Picpoul de Pinet 2025, £12.50 (£10 mix 6) Majestic Wines
Ormarine is the leading brand of the region. The Villemarin now comes in a much lighter, more environmentally friendly eco bottle and it is your benchmark Picpoul de Pinet: zesty and crisp with intense notes of lemon peel, green apple and a slick of salinity. Stunning with fresh oysters and prawns.
Ormarine ‘Cuvée Estela’ Sur Lies Fines, Picpoul de Pinet 2024, £15.50 (£14 mix 6) Majestic Wine
A more gastronimic style of Picpoul de Pinet from Ormarine, this wine has had time ageing on its spent yeast cells, or fine ‘lees’, hence ‘sur lies’. This gives the wine more complex flavours of nectarine and peach skin as well as more texture, so it can handle more weighty, flavoursome dishes such as scallops in creamy sauces or garlicky chicken.
Want the full, global Picpoul Wine Grape Sips Safari? Watch the Vinalogy Video !
Sounds super refreshing!