Frederic Palacios likes to say that he was born in the hollow of a vine…close to nature and in the heart of Occitanie. He spent his childhood among the vines tended by his father and grandfather in the rolling hills west of Carcassonne. Growing grapes was a side job for the family, but for Fred, the winemaking bug bit deeper. After studying viticulture at school, he went to work for the local cooperative and didn’t like it; too much pesticide spray, too much focus on quantity over quality. It was a relief in 2005 when his father invited him home to take over the family vineyards, where he could realize his dreams of low-intervention farming. At Mas de Mon Pere (My Father’s House), Frederic blends Sauvignon Gris, Chardonnay, and the native Chasan for his only white wine. Aromas include peach pit, grilled pineapple, orange and lemongrass with a waft of white smoke. The palate is medium bodied with citrus and peach and fresh herbs all over before a lingering finish. Trade out the Chardonnay and put this with all sorts of chicken dishes and seafood stews.