2022 Turning Tide Picpoul

Even after 400 years of cultivation, unless you cross the pond to Mediterranean France and sit yourself down in a café near the coast, you’ll rarely encounter the delights of this hard-to-imitate grape variety. The grape hasn’t broadly migrated far outside the tiny appellation of Pinet just 200 miles north of Spain, however, there are about 60 acres planted in California, most of them on the Central Coast. This fresh, vibrant version from winemaker Alisa Jacobsen has notes of pear, green apple, and stony river rock, rather like Chablis but nowhere near as austere. It’s an awesome partner for all manner of shellfish and a sunny spring day.