Review: Fanny Fougerat Pineau des Charentes Le Colibri Charmant Blanc

If you’re still sleeping on Pineau des Charentes — essentially young wine blended with Cognac to fortify it — then it’s time to wake up. Here’s a new release from Fanny Fougerat made from ugni blanc grapes grown in Cognac and fortified with a bright, effusive brandy. The bottle is more evocative of spirits, with squared-off shoulders and a thick base, but what’s inside evokes Sauternes more than a spirit.

The attack is bright, fruity, and sweet — white grape juice, lemon candies, and vanilla custard all in a swirl. While lip-smacking with sweetness, there’s ample acidity that emerges soon enough, balancing out any notes that might threaten to become cloying. On the finish, complexity rises: Light florals, some vanilla, and a sultry, very understated earthiness. It’s gorgeous stuff that’s hard to put down, so mind that abv lest you get into trouble.

17% abv.

A / $39

The post Review: Fanny Fougerat Pineau des Charentes Le Colibri Charmant Blanc appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.