All About Piquettes

From the moment I tried my first Piquette, I was hooked. To be honest, my thought was: this is amazing, but I think I can do better. What exactly is Piquette? To put it simply, Piquette is a vinous beverage produced by adding water to grape pomace and fermenting that liquid. Sounds interesting right? [Our plug: check out our latest video all about this unique wine.]

In late September 2020, after pressing a few tons of Grenache Rosé fruit, we transferred the used skins (from the press) back into a tank. From there we added some water, and let those skins soak for a few days. Once properly steeped, we drained off the liquid portion, and re-pressed the skins, extracting any remaining sugar solution. That liquid then went through its own alcoholic fermentation, but since its concentration is roughly half of normal grape must or juice, the finished alcohol percentage is about 7% (roughly half of traditional wine). In fact, just before alcoholic fermentation finished, we hand-bottled our Piquette into Champagne bottles (extra thick glass), put a crown cap (think beer) on top, and let it finish fermenting inside the bottle, under pressure. By finishing fermentation under pressure, the CO2 is forced into the solution. After opening the bottle, beautiful bubbles are formed as the CO2 comes back out of the solution, hence the extra fizz in the glass! [Quick plug: for more context on this unique wine, check out our video on Piquettes (below).]

I get the question quite often: so, what’s your favorite wine? My answer is always the same: it depends on a few variables. What are we eating? What’s the weather like? Time of day? People? The beauty of the 2020 Fhuquette Rouge is that regardless of my normal variables, this wine beverage will transcend nearly every situation. In fact, it probably won’t stick around in the bottle long enough for anyone to even consider its legitimacy. Poolside, beachside, mountainside, or porch side. Or, if you would prefer food, go with something simple like homemade guacamole and chips, or step it up with either vegetarian or shrimp aguachile. If you are making a proper meal, throw some of your favorite sausages on the grill, and don’t be afraid of spice!

Not only were we able to put this magical wine beverage into a bottle, but I also learned how to keg it! We started pouring it on tap at the Carhartt Cabin midway through August. I can assure you it tastes just as wonderful coming through the icy chilled lines of our kegerator. So, when you find yourself sitting in the barrel chairs on our back patio, do yourself a favor and give it a try. Of course, if making a physical appearance is too far in the distant future, this delicious nectar is available by the bottle online, hand-packed, and shipped to your door as always. Enjoy!