Château Lafitte Argile Monein, Jurançon, South West France

A complex and distinctive nose, with ripe quince, bruised and yellow apple, yellow pear and ripe stone fruit taking centre stage, and plenty of citrus. Marzipan and almond add a rich, nutty dimension, with lemon peel, beeswax and subtle floral notes. There is a slightly oxidative quality to the bruised orchard fruit, bringing depth and savoury complexity, and a faint earthy, mineral character adds further intrigue.

Dry, concentrated and vibrant, with pronounced acidity in striking contrast to the rich aromatics. The nose follows through, with citrus taking a bigger role, on a subtle waxy texture with real depth. A clear saline streak emerges and, with the minerality, keeps the savoury oxidative character in check. The finish is long, with lingering quince, almond and citrus zest. For all its richness and unusual aromatics, the wine keeps remarkable freshness and tension.

An unconventional and compelling Petit Manseng, combining the grape’s naturally high acidity with a complex, slightly oxidative aromatic profile. What makes it so interesting is the contrast between the developed, savoury notes of bruised apple, quince and marzipan and the vibrant acidity that keeps it fresh. Fermented and aged in terracotta amphorae rather than oak, the grape’s character and texture take centre stage, and the wine feels both rustic and precise.

It drinks almost like a fino or a Jura sous voile, with the bruised apple and nuttiness of sherry. A likely reason is how it is made. The bruised-apple, nutty note of fino and Jura comes largely from acetaldehyde, which forms as wine meets oxygen; added sulphites normally bind it, and Argile has none: its total of 14 mg/L comes from the fermentation alone, a fraction of what most dry whites carry. A year on its lees adds texture and savoury depth, and because it is bottled unfined and unfiltered, some of that lees character stays in the wine, likely part of the waxy texture and the earthy edge. Quince, meanwhile, is a classic note of Petit Manseng itself. The pronounced acidity and concentration remain unmistakably Petit Manseng.

At £63 for 50cl, the equivalent of £94.50 a standard bottle, this is an expensive and unconventional white. Its appeal is less in straightforward value than in its individuality, its artisanal making and an expression of Petit Manseng unlike any other I have tasted.