Château Ferran Saint Pierre 2020

'Between-two-Seas’ is the English translation for ‘Entre-Deux-Mers’, the name of a winemaking region in Bordeaux, France. If you spotted a wine label with that name, where would your mind go? Would it go to the philosophical, like it's describing the feeling of being caught in the middle between two opposing sides? Or would it take you to a picturesque scene where, whether you look right or left, all you see is the vastness of the ocean?

The reality is ‘Entre-Deux-Mers’ is less romantic than the name might lead you to believe. It is not even located between two seas but instead between the two often muddy Garonne and Dordogne rivers. When describing the region, The Oxford Companion to Wine claims that “These dry whites are generally drunk young without great ceremony.” Hardly high praise.

But does all wine need to be overly fussy? Do wine drinkers want to ponder every nuanced flavour in their glass? Are there wine drinking occasions of less ceremony when a simple but well-made wine will not just suffice, but satisfy?

If you say yes to that final question, then Château Ferran Saint Pierre 2020 from Entre-Deux-Mers might be a wine for you. A blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, this biodynamic wine is dry with a vivid acidity and pleasing notes of stone fruits and pretty flowers. It pairs perfectly with a simple Sunday lunch of artisan bread and smoked salmon. Find it at Sunnyside Provisions - $29.