Picpoul Blanc
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2024
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Fresh oysters, grilled white fish, fish tacos
✨ Technical Specifications
Crafted in the rugged terroir of the Texas High Plains, McPherson Cellars' Picpoul Blanc is a testament to the visionary work of winemaker Kim McPherson, who recognized that Mediterranean varieties would thrive in the Lone Star State. Historically known in southern France as the 'lip-stinger' due to its naturally high, vibrant acidity, Picpoul Blanc has found an ideal home in the sandy loam soils and high-altitude vineyards of West Texas. The region's intense daytime heat fully ripens the fruit, while the dramatic diurnal temperature shifts and cool desert nights preserve the grape's signature electric acidity. The resulting wine is a brilliant expression of Texas winemaking, showcasing bright citrus, green apple, and a distinct flinty minerality that challenges traditional expectations of Texas viticulture.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2000 by winemaker Kim McPherson and opened within a converted 1930s Coca-Cola bottling plant in Lubbock's Depot District in 2008, McPherson Cellars honors the pioneering legacy of Dr. Clinton 'Doc' McPherson, a founding father of modern Texas viticulture. Sourcing fruit almost entirely from the wind-swept Texas High Plains AVA, the estate champions warm-climate cultivars uniquely adapted to the region's semi-arid, continental climate, sandy clay loam soils, and high elevations above 3,000 feet. Diurnal shifts preserve vibrant natural acidity, counteracting intense summer heat. Embracing a philosophy of planting to the land rather than mimicking Burgundian or Bordeaux archetypes, McPherson focuses predominantly on Rhône, Iberian, and Mediterranean varieties. Vinified primarily in stainless steel with judicious oak contact, benchmark white and rosé bottlings like The Queen Viognier, Reserve Roussanne, Picpoul Blanc, and Les Copains White deliver crisp minerality, balanced ripeness, and distinctive regional authenticity.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Picpoul Blanc