Moulin de Gassac is a second label from the Guibert family of Mas de Daumas Gassac, the pioneering estate in the Hérault region of the Languedoc. The project, initiated in 1991, was born out of the same desire to showcase the unique terroir of the region, with Daumas Gassac enologists and agronomists partnering with local growers—and a nearby winemaking cooperative—to produce a line of affordable, place-expressive wines.

The Étang de Thau, or Bassin de Thau, is a large saltwater lagoon positioned about halfway between the Pyrenées Mountains and the Rhône River Delta, in France’s Languedoc. Vineyards occupy low-lying hills very close to the coast, in soils of sandy alluvial gravel; as you move inland and upland, soils shift to a more Provence-like mix of pebbly limestone and clay.

Sourced from an organically farmed five-hectare plot not far from the oyster beds and salty breezes of the Thau Lagoon, this is 100% Picpoul grown in gravel and limestone. The Daumas Gassac team ferments the wine in stainless steel using only ambient yeasts; the wine is then aged briefly in tanks (3-5 months) while in contact with its lees (spent yeasts).

Strongly reminiscent of Muscadet Sévre et Maine in terms of color (silvery straw-gold) and flavor (salty and citrusy, but with a slight creamy note from lees aging). Fresh, clean, and high in acid, it is perfectly suited for a plateau of freshly shucked oysters or a simply prepared whole grilled fish. Disappears quickly once opened!