Gascony, France
Situated in the land of Gascony, Domaine Tariquet was in a derelict state when Artaud found it in 1912. He moved back to the Pyrenees after his grand adventure in the Big Apple and was looking for a place to retire. There was something enigmatic about Tariquet, something magical, that he couldn’t walk away from. So, he made it his home. Fast-forward to after WWII, his grand-daughter, Helene, and husband, Pierre Grassa, lovingly restored this chateau and the vineyard to its former glory. Since the region was known for their Armagnacs, the duo began producing quality Bas-Armagnac brandies. Yet, they were intrigued by table wines made with local grape varieties that were forgotten and unfashionable at the time. Their curiosity turned into a thriving investment as they became pioneers for expressive and charming whites of Cotes de Gascogne. Today, the Grassa family still runs the maison, producing both Armagnacs and their delightful white wines, with grandsons, Armin and Remy, as winemaking partners.