Encounters with Tour des Gendres Pét-Nat with a Side of Risotto (#Winophiles)

A chance meeting with a Pét-Nat of Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc from Bergerac eventually leads to a delicious dinner of lobster risotto.


We met at a friend’s place way back at the start of 2020. She had a sparkling personality, but I didn’t get her name. Thankfully, I did get a picture and the social media hive mind helped me to figure it out. Still, when the world shut down a few weeks later, I figured it was unlikely we wouldn't see each other again anytime soon. 


I didn’t forget her though. She was a little sassy and stuck with me. But I’m sure you can imagine my surprise when she showed up at my place out of the blue much later. I was absolutely delighted to receive her . . .  as part of a set of sample bottles. I celebrated our reunion by making her some lobster risotto – to which I added a pinch of cayenne to match her sass.



Sometimes failing to get the name of a wine you really enjoyed can feel like a case of missed connections. I was particularly excited to receive this bottle because my mystery lady/bottle was a bit of an oddball. It’s an unusual style from an unexpected region of France. The Château Tour des Gendres Pétillant-Naturel is a blend of Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc from Bergerac, which you might know as the home of Cyrano, but isn’t as well known for its wines. Perhaps her eccentricities are a part of what makes this lady/bottle so beguiling. 


If you’re unfamiliar with Pét-Nats, check out this post for an overview. 
This wine was provided as a sample. Please note that no other compensation was received, and all opinions are my own. 


Château Tour des Gendres Pétillant-Naturel 


Château Tour des Gendres is a family affair. Vincenzo de Conti arrived from Italy and settled down in Bergerac with his wife and kids in 1925. The family farmed the land, but it wasn’t until the 1980s that they began making wine. Luc (Vincenzo’s grandson) settled on the property with his wife Martine. He inherited some old vines on the property and then added more plots later on. His cousin Francis joined them later on and brought 20 more hectares of vines in the Saint Julien d’Eymet and Grand Caillou areas, and took charge of the vines, which are now farmed organically.

The property, however, has a much older history. In the 12th century, the vineyards belonged to Bridoire Castle, owned by Marquis Foucault. His son-in-law (or gendre in French), Mr. Peyronny, was the owner of the ancient Gallo-Roman villa that is now  ‘Tour des Gendres.’  Most of the vineyards that originally belonged to the Castle were wiped out by phylloxera,  so they now only cover about a tenth of the original area.

The Château Tour des Gendres Pétillant-Naturel 2019 (average price $25) was very refreshing with notes of gold and green apples, lemons, white flowers, and saline minerality on the finish. It was bright and lively but also had a little texture as well, which is what made me think it would work well with the creaminess of a risotto incorporating seafood. It was indeed a delicious match as the bubbles and minerality of the wine refreshed the palate, while the wine texture matched that of the food nicely, as desired. 

Sadly, I couldn’t find much about this specific wine on their website, but luckily the bottle came with a card full of information that I will share with you here. 


Bergerac

Place Pélissière and Église Saint-Jacques in the town centre of Bergerac
Image borrowed from Wikipedia.

Bergerac is in South West France, along the Dordogne River. It’s just to the east of Bordeaux, which is probably the main reason that the region isn’t really thought of in terms of wine, despite having produced it since Roman times. Unfortunately, it’s living in the shadow of a giant of a wine region that historically used its power as a port to block wines from other areas from getting out without being heavily taxed. The area also produces many different styles of wines – red, white, sweet, and as we see, sparkling. The grapes and styles are generally also similar to what you’d find in Bordeaux. You’ll find Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc, Malbec, Sauv Blanc and Semillon, just as you would in Bordeaux, and the sweet wines of Monbazillac are made in the same way as Sauternes, with grapes affected by botrytis.

Because Pét-Nats don’t fall within the specifications of the region, this particular wine is classified as a Vin de France (VdF)


Map borrowed from Wine Folly. 



Black Pool Matt’s Wine Club 

This wine came to me as a sample from Black Pool Matt’s Wine Club, a wine club by Matthew Gaughan of Matthew's World of Wine and Drink. It’s set up so that you can pick from several themes to suit your interest. This wine was included in the  “(You Make Me Feel Like)” club which focuses on producers who are practicing or certified organic, biodynamic, and/or use low-intervention, natural winemaking techniques. You can also buy directly from the website, although selections may vary depending on availability.

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For more related to South West France, check out these posts:



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The rest of the French Wineophiles Blogging Group (#Winophiles) are also exploring the wine of South West France this month. Be sure to check out their posts:



Additional resources used for this post & extra reading:

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12 comments

  1. I love everything abut this post. I love the fun writing, the idea of a wine club that lets you choose a theme and the recipe for the risotto. Thanks Jill.

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  2. What a charming reunion with this rare wine! I love the details on the card. Is that a recommended playlist at the bottom?
    Your risotto sounds delish!

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    1. It is indeed a recommended music pairing -- well spotted! The risotto was indeed delicious, thanks Robin!

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  3. Great find Nicole (and pairing)! I sent them a message to see about visiting.

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    1. That's so exciting! I do hope to hear/read about the visit if you make it there!

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  4. What a beautiful wine to pair with a beautiful dish! I love the label and the pairing with lobster. I don't think I've ever seen a Chenin Blanc pet nat, but it does seem to capture the unexpected diversity of the SW region!

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  5. I am officially craving this pairing! I love Pét-Nats when the weather turns warmer (that means humid in Atlanta), and lobster risotto sounds so good.

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    1. That would be a perfect way to fight off the humidity and heat!

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  6. As always, Nicole, your writing is as delicious as your pairings. The sassy lady (pet nat) visits and you serve her lobster risotto. That's wonderful!

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Thanks so much for leaving your comments and questions. I always love to hear from you!