Have you tried a Piquette yet?
Piquette comes from the French word “prickle” which denotes the slight effervescence of this style of wine. Piquette dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times. It is made from the byproducts of winemaking, and is therefore inexpensive to produce, and was historically served to vineyard workers.
Piquette is naturally low in alcohol and it is produced by adding water to grape pomace. Grape pomace contains the skins, pulp, seeds and often the stems from grapes after pressing-off the juice to make wine. It is sometimes necessary to add sugar or honey to the pomace to start the second fermentation in order to make a Piquette.
The Second Act Piquette $14.99
This wine was my first Piquette and I am intrigued enough to try more.
The Second Act Piquette has a barely perceptible fiz and it reminds me of an unsweetened ice tea. The blend for this wine is predominantly Pinot Gris, Muscat and Gewürztraminer.
This Piquette clocks-in at 6% alcohol. On the nose there are light aromas of hibiscus, cherry and vanilla. This is a dry, light bodied wine with medium acidity and low tannins. The palate is somewhat earthy with delicate flavours of cranberry, cherry, hibiscus and underripe peach with a short finish.
Pair with delicately flavoured fare, such as grilled fish and citrus salsa, alongside a citrus, quinoa salad.
Available at BC Liquor Stores.
References
Pickard, C. (May 28, 2019). What is Piquette? Meet Wine’s Easy-Drinking, Low-Alcohol Style. Retrieved from: https://www.winemag.com/2019/05/28/piquette-easy-drinking-low-alcohol-wine/