“Steve Feletti’s passion was made real when he ‘borrowed’ some cuttings from a vigneron in the Languedoc. Then came three years of the plants being in quarantine and then another two years in a cloning laboratory,” writes wine columnist RICHARD CALVER. 

The Languedoc French oyster community and those that grow Picpoul grapes are, according to Steve Feletti, the owner of Borrowed Cuttings wine company, in lockstep.

They cross-market. Their oyster festivals feature the flagship wine of Picpoul and these two products celebrate each other. His desire was to see that complement transported to Australia. 

Steve had been an oyster grower since 1999 and sold the Clyde River business last year. He has had a lifetime passion for oysters, implementing farm-to-restaurant supply as a key to his success. Each year when he visited the coastal areas of France he tasted the oysters and mussels grown on the coast.

In all of this tasting, Steve describes the pairing of oysters and Picpoul as the “perfect match”, just like that old-fashioned dating show. Remember, when a man has money to burn it’s easier to find a woman who’s a perfect match. 

Steve said: “This varietal is perfect for Australia and its new cuisine because of our very large coastline and our embrace of Japanese raw cuisine.

“Sashimi is the new fish and chips for young people. I’m getting this from fishmongers and we are sashimi fans ourselves, having lived in Japan. This refreshing white wine is the best to go with all types of seafood. I believe it’s suitable for growth in Australia, especially as sauvignon blanc is in decline.

“Picpoul is a clean, crisp astringent wine and it is growing in popularity, especially as it is a great aperitif, standalone wine on a hot Australian day. “ 

Steve’s passion was made real when he “borrowed” some cuttings from a vigneron in the Languedoc. Then came three years of the plants being in quarantine and then another two years in a cloning laboratory.

The grapes are now grown near Cowra and Steve is preparing his tenth vintage. The wine is a winner having outscored a Picpoul grower, Domaine Feline Jourdan, in the Decanter world awards in 2022. 

Steve also has thrown out the French rule book with a Picpoul blend of 30 per cent chardonnay and a sparkling Picpoul, also with the same blend. The strict appellation rules in France don’t allow them to stray into this territory, which is a pity because the chardonnay blend brings a good balance by subduing some of the acidity in the Picpoul. 

I’ve tried both the Picpoul varietal and the still blend at Symposium wine bar at the ANU. The varietal wine is light with a crisp acidity, slightly saline and with a hint of lemon on the finish.

My research says that in the area of France known as Picpoul de Pinet, the translation of that term is appropriately “stings the lips”. Steve insists that its meaning is “hen pecked”, referring to the delight the local chickens have when they eat the easily fallen grapes.

No matter, as I said, the chardonnay blend brings a good balance dampening down the acidity and was excellent with the croquettes served at Symposium. Just like the arsonist on Valentine’s Day, it was, as Steve would have it, a perfect match.

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