At A Glance
- Field
- Detail
- Producer
- Maison Fontan
- Place
- Gers department, within the Bas Armagnac zone
- Wine colours
- White, red and rosé
- Named whites
- Maubet Blanc Sec and Tattoo Blanc
- Ground
- Clay, boulbènes and tawny sands
The Producer
Maubet Blanc Sec and Tattoo Blanc are the named white wines of Maison Fontan, a family estate that also produces red and rosé wines. The two whites have different grape formulas and are part of the estate's wider colour range.
Place
Maison Fontan's vineyards lie in the Gers department, within the Bas Armagnac zone, at 200 metres elevation. The same setting applies to the estate's white, red and rosé wines. Maubet Blanc Sec and Tattoo Blanc are the two named whites, each with its own grape formula.
Soil And Site
The Maubet vineyard has clayey soils and boulbènes, a mixture of sand and silt, together with tawny sands reaching two metres deep. Clay retains moisture, while sand and silt let excess water pass more readily. Water therefore moves at different rates through the layers. This affects growing conditions before the chosen grape varieties determine the wine style.
Story
The current generation at Maison Fontan is Nadège and Sylvain Fontan, sister and brother, who manage the estate as the fourth generation. They are winegrowers and continue the family's wine knowledge across white, red and rosé wines.
Vineyards And Cellar
Maison Fontan has 85 hectares of vineyards for white, red and rosé wines. Maubet Blanc Sec brings Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng and Sauvignon together. Its 2023 composition is 55% Colombard, 30% Ugni Blanc, 10% Gros Manseng and 5% Sauvignon. Tattoo Blanc is made from Sauvignon Blanc and Gros Manseng. Its 2023 composition is 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Gros Manseng. The two formulas produce two separate white labels.
Wines
Maubet Blanc Sec is intended for consumption within one year of vintage. Tattoo Blanc is intended within two years. The two wines therefore have different drinking windows. Tattoo Blanc is the original, daring and audacious white in the pair.
In The Glass
Maubet Blanc Sec is pale yellow with green highlights. Its nose has citrus and white and yellow fruit. The palate is fresh, with grapefruit and lemon, good acidity and length. Tattoo Blanc is brilliant yellow. Its nose has peach, mirabelle, pineapple, exotic fruit and pear, followed by mango and white flowers on the palate. Both are served at 8 to 10°C. The different grape formulas account for the separate fruit and flower profiles.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Maubet Blanc Sec. The word Sec marks it as a dry white, and the bottle carries the estate's broader four-variety formula under the Maubet Blanc Sec label. Tattoo Blanc uses a separate formula, so Maubet Blanc Sec shows more of the estate's white grape range in a bottle.
Anecdote
Before it became exclusively viticultural, the Maubet property was a polyculture farm given as a wedding gift to Ésilda and Maximen Fontan. In 1975, Aline Fontan was part of the decision to convert the property entirely to viticulture. Mixed farming ended, and grape growing became the property's sole agricultural purpose. The land then moved from several agricultural activities to a property devoted exclusively to vines.
Final Word
Maison Fontan's named whites have different grape formulas and intended drinking windows. Red and rosé wines complete the estate's production. Maubet Blanc Sec and Tattoo Blanc therefore have separate roles within the white range.