Domaine Castera shifted from its founding as a farmhouse, to a focus on the vineyards within their land in the mid-90’s. Determined to take over the domaine, winemaker Franck Lihour began gaining experience with stints in Bordeaux, Burgundy, California, South Africa and Corsica. He returned to take over the estate in 2014 and has been crafting transcendent wines from this vastly underrated region. ‘Tauzy’ is the name of the lieu-dit where the grapes are sourced from. It is a blend consisting of 60% Petit Manseng, 30% Petit Courbu, and 10% Gros Manseng with vines ranging from 9-30 years old. While many Jurançon Sec wines can be rather overpowering and oily, this ‘Tauzy’ is more akin to Loire Valley Chenin Blanc. Complex aromas of honeydew melon, lemon oil, red apple skin, jasmine, and almonds jump out of the glass. The palate is remarkable with an energetic yet rounded acidity stretching a fleshy mineral core to its limits. The complex finish is clean, refreshing, soft and salty, leaving behind traces of stone fruit and floral notes. This is an impressive and impactful wine that will certainly encourage further exploration of Jurançon Sec wines to new audiences once it has been experienced.