Cuvée Françoise Blanquette de Limoux

For over five centuries, Maison Antech has produced beautiful sparkling wines in Limoux. Their grapes are grown on sloping hillside terraces – secret of their character lies in the combination of Limoux’s three terroirs, which form the backbone of the cuvées: freshness from the Pyrenees, vinousness from the ocean, and roundness from the Mediterranean. This Cuvee is named after Françoise Antech-Gazeau, the sixth generation winemaker who currently helms the family winery. She is a champion of the indigenous Mauzac grape, a pretty, floral varietal that used to be widely grown in Limoux. However, many Limoux plantations of Mauzac have now been replaced Chardonnay and Chenin due to the popularity of Crémant de Limoux. Blanquette de Limoux (a much older, more traditional style than Crémant de Limoux) is a traditional-method sparkler that must contain at least 90% Mauzac. Françoise likes to age her Mauzac wine much longer than most other Limoux producers – this helps develop body and richness. It’s a fresh and pretty wine with notes of spring blossoms, green apple skin and fresh pear, with hints of buttered toast.