Aubert & Mathieu Palooza Blanc 2025, IGP Pays d’Oc, Languedoc

Aubert & Mathieu Palooza Blanc is a bright, aromatic white from the Languedoc, made by school friends Anthony Aubert and Jean-Charles Mathieu. Bottled as IGP Pays d’Oc, it brings together southern French white grapes, including Grenache Blanc and Viognier, sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards across the region. As with all the Palooza wines, it is made to be fresh, approachable and fun, with the focus on clean, expressive fruit rather than oak.

It pours a pale gold. The nose is pretty and fragrant, with white flowers, a touch of honey, rhubarb and candied fruit. The palate is supple and gently honeyed at first, then turns fresh and light with citrus flavours, finishing tangy and zesty.

Serve well chilled at 8–10°C as an aperitif or with lighter dishes. It is lovely with Thai and other gently spiced Asian food (the makers suggest pad thai), salads, grilled fish, chicken and soft or semi-hard cheeses. Aubert & Mathieu Palooza Blanc is designed for drinking young and is at its best within a year or two of the vintage, while its floral freshness is at its peak.

Aubert & Mathieu is a young Languedoc wine house founded in 2016 by two school friends, Anthony Aubert and Jean-Charles Mathieu. Anthony was already working in the wine trade and Jean-Charles in corporate banking when they reconnected and decided to make wines their own way. Their first vintage was released in 2019 and quickly found fans in Paris restaurants. The pair source grapes from a range of terroirs across the Languedoc and aim for wines that are fresh, balanced and easy to understand, with moderate extraction and little oak influence. The house works sustainably, and a number of its wines are certified organic, all wrapped in bright, playful labels that reflect their fun, modern approach.