Domaine Plageoles Gaillac L'Ondenc Sec 2020

Dry White. Organic. Under Florent Plageoles, the whites of this domaine have improved out of sight, with texture and clarity the prominent benefactors. This bottling comes from a small parcel of this obscure, ancient Tarn variety planted in 1983 when Ondenc was almost extinct. Plageoles started with just two rows of vines rooted in the argilo-calcaire of Cahuzac-sur-Vère, although the plantings have gradually increased over the years.

Simply whole-bunch pressed and fermented wild in concrete before being bottled unfiltered, Plageoles’ Ondenc has been described by Jon Bonné as tasting like “a Rhône white if you added some iodine and peat moss”—a good call even if, in our experience, in the cooler Atlantic-influenced years this wine possesses more assertive acidity than a typical white Rhône. 2020 is not one of those fresher years, so instead you get a delicious brew of fuzzy orchard fruits, scented florals and subtle spice with a lovely textural feel, all balanced by a vein of salinity and juicy acidity. Plate up and pour yourself a glass of history.