Christine Dupuy took over her family’s six-hectare (15-acre) wine estate, Domaine Labranche Laffont, in 1992 when her father died unexpectedly. She was 23 at the time and the estate had been in her family since before the French Revolution. By chance she had just finished her degree in enology, but she had little practical experience. So she went to neighboring Château d’Aydie, Domaine Capmartin, and Domaine La Chapelle Lenclos, all of whom were among the most prestigious domains in the appellation at the time. During that first year they helped this precocious young vigneronne get off on the right foot.

Madiran’s answer to Jurançon’s whites. But Madiran is further down off the Pyrenees than Jurançon (and Irouléguy), and Madiran’s Pacherenc wines tend to have more weight. This comes from a 5-acre parcel and is raised on its lees in older barrels. It’s a shockingly fresh and vibrant wine with quite a compelling nose.