Hugues Beaulieu / Kysela Père et Fils, Picpoul de Pine (Languedoc, France) 2019

It’s tough to figure out who is the producer of this wine.  The importer’s name, Kysela Père et Fils, figures prominently on the front label above the letters HB.  It turns out that the HB stands for Hugues Beaulieu, a co-operative which also carries the name Les Costières de Pomérols.  Whether this bottling is a special selection by Kysela Père et Fils is unclear to me.  What’s important is to remember the HB or the name of the co-op because, judging from this wine, they do an excellent job.  The name of the grape, actually Picquepoul, which literally means "lip-stinger," has morphed to Picpoul, and is one of the few AOC wines of France outside of Alsace to carry varietal labeling.  Crisp and clean, with a distinct saline-infused character, you can almost sense the proximity of the ocean.  This lightweight white, sometimes called the Muscadet of the south, is perfect for seafood — steamed or fried clams, seafood stew, sautéed scallops.  You get the idea.  Plus it is a great bargain.