2019 Acquiesce Bourboulenc – A Rare Gem!!
What is Bourboulenc?
This varietal comes from southern France, primarily the Languedoc and Provence appellations. Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards claim to be the first winery to release this fascinating and somewhat obscure varietal in the USA. The variety first mentioned in literature goes back to the 16th Century. While the grape is known to be native to Provence, Bourboulenc has a Greek origin where it was known as Asprokondoura. Bourboulenc is often used in blending with Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Bourboulenc is a white wine giving off intense floral aromatics, with a tremendous mouthful feeling of citrus, smoky and soft spicy notes forming a complex finish.
Acquiesce Winery
There is so much to state about Susan Tipton, owner and winemaker of Acquiesce Winery. The key takeaway is that she established her winery in Acampo (just north of Lodi) with the expressed purpose of bringing French white wine varieties to market. Lodi had been primarily known for red wines, but she turned heads with some of her unique wines such as Picpoul, Clairette Blanche, Ingénue (blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Bourboulenc & Picpoul), Roussanne and more. Here are some reviews of her wines and impact:
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/09/20/2018-acquiesce-vineyards-picpoul-blanc/
https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2020/08/30/2018-acquiesce-ingenue-french-and-more-french/
The Wine – 2019 Bourboulenc
The first thing you notice is the golden color in the glass, and the wine possesses a medium heavy viscosity. Intriguing and frankly startling, was the bouquet of aromatics. On the nose were diverse and numerous floral notes. Over temperature they range from stone fruit, almond, pineapple, honeysuckle, orange blossoms, tropical fruits and stone fruits. Once in the palate, they engulf and dance amusingly in the mouth. All these flavors came forward to introduce themselves and left you with a rich textured enchanted mouth feel with sufficient acidity. The finish provides a polarizing effect of softness and minerality at the same time.
The Food and Wine Pairing
We started out with one of our favorite Champagnes, Château de Bligny, Grand Reserve Brut from the village of Bligny, France. This is located south of Épernay home of many world class Champagnes. The main dish was that was served was baked garlic shrimp. It was accompanied with roasted brussel sprouts in olive oil and drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar, brown rice and fresh baked rolls. Also a beautiful fresh garden salad.
Last evenings dinner was specifically tailored for the Champagne and Bourboulenc wines. The Champagne as always was delicious, but the Bourboulenc was such a delightful surprise and was a match made in heaven for the shrimp dish. I rated the 2019 Acquiesce Bourboulenc highly and can tell you it has made the Best Wines of Year coming out shortly for 2020.
Sláinte,
Michael
California Wines & Wineries 