HSE Élevé Sous Bois

This HSE Élevé Sous Bois sits in the AOC's ambré tier, an agricole given a short spell in oak, more than a blanc but short of a full vieux. Pressed from fresh sugar cane juice and matured in ex-bourbon, it keeps much of the freshness of a white while picking up a touch of wood.

Distilled on the column still, it stays green and lively at a soft 42%. The nose is grassy with fresh sugarcane, light fruit and citrus, while the palate brings grass, fruit and a peppery freshness, picking up olives, figs and a whisper of sweetened wine. The finish is fruity with young oak and citrus. This is a mild, gentle introduction to oak-influenced agricole rather than a powerful one, an affordable way to meet the ambré style, equally at home in a Ti Punch or sipped slowly.