Tasting Time Travel: 1998 Clos Thou Jurançon Petite Manseng Passerillage

Welcome to Clos Thou in Jurancon

After a sunrise breakfast of local cheeses and stone fruits at Clos Mirabel, we set off on a dreamy four-kilometer walk through the French countryside. The road was narrow and winding, lined with sleepy vineyards, bleating donkeys, crowing roosters, and homes nestled in the folds of the hills. Our destination? Clos Thou, a family-owned domaine that has quietly carried on the traditions of Jurançon winemaking for over a century. The patriarch, now 91, recalls the old stone press being there when he was just a baby.

The old wine press at Clos Thou

Clos Thou, like many producers in Jurançon—a region tucked just outside Pau in the shadow of the snow-capped Pyrenees—focuses primarily on Petite Manseng. This grape thrives in the region’s limestone and clay soils, bolstered by a “pudding” of loose rocks that promote exceptional drainage. The vineyards are perched on steep southeast-facing slopes, spaced to encourage airflow—an essential detail for passerillage, the process of drying grapes on the vine to concentrate sugars and preserve acidity.

In addition to Petite Manseng, they grow Gros Manseng, Courbu, and Camaralet, which lend spicy, herbal tones and help moderate the searing natural acidity of Manseng.

During our tasting, the younger vintages of Petite Manseng expressed vibrant notes of orange blossom, pineapple, and tropical fruit, backed by an exhilarating crispness despite residual sugars hovering around 50g/l—a third of what you’d find in a Mosel Kabinett Riesling. These wines are opulent yet balanced, fermented, and aged in 400-liter third-year French oak barrels that impart subtle texture without overwhelming the fruit.

1998 Clos Thou Petite Manseng Jurancon

Then came a rare treat: a bottle of 1998 Petite Manseng—deep ochre in color, aromatically complex, and profoundly expressive. The nose unveiled layers of caramel, orange peel, clove, mango, saffron, cherry blossom, and marzipan. Despite its age, the acidity remained electric, cutting through the rich texture and 14% alcohol with a brisk, clean attack. We paired it with a board of regional goat and sheep cheeses, including a local blue whose sharpness danced beautifully against the wine’s honeyed depth.

This wine echoed the elegance of a well-aged Château d’Yquem—but with a wild, Pyrenean soul and a far gentler price tag.

Endless thanks to the team at Clos Thou for sharing their history, land, and a time capsule of flavor.