RHONE-WHITE

Marsanne from 100 year old vines

Bernard Faurie is the wise old man of the hill (the hill of Hermitage that is), the last of the Mohicans I’d say. Let’s start with the vines. Bernard is the fifth generation in a storied lineage working the same vines on the hill (yes, the very same, they are over 100 years old). His two principal cuvées are red Hermitages in two different blends: Gréffieux/Bessards and Bessards/Méal. Occasionally, despite his predilection, he’ll bottle a barrel of pure Méal. He also produces a miniscule quantity of Hermitage Blanc, an absolutely mesmerizing example from the lower slopes of Bessards that is wiry, stony, and coiled for many years of unfurling. Bernard’s wine has renewed a deep sense of understanding for us about what Hermitage really is, and what makes it special.

WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS -"The 2017 Cotes du Rhone Blanc displays a sense of restraint allied to great richness, making for a wine that's intense and powerful without being at all heavy. Pencil shavings accent apricot and melon fruit in this full-bodied yet beautifully balanced offering."

JAMES SUCKLING 93 POINTS - "A very powerful, rich and attractively fleshy Condrieu with intense and concentrated fruit and a wealth of apricots and some baking spices on offer. The palate has such intensity and depth. Citrus and fleshy apricots abound."

Powerful peach nectar, orange, honey and chamomile aromas show sharp definition and lift thanks to a smoky mineral flourish.

BIODYNAMIC, ORGANIC

A blend of roussanne, white grenache and marsanne with a touch of viognier – from the southern Rhône Valley. Deliciously rich, concentrated wine with mandarin, orange zest, toasted almond, apricot and subtle spice flavours. A complex, powerful wine that’s textural and mouthfilling.” – Bob Campbell MW Tasting Note: A blend of Rousanne, White Grenache and Marsanne, with a touch of Viognier. Barrel-aged for 8 months. The nose is powerful and expressive with citrus aromas and hints of toasted almonds and anise. In the mouth it has flavours of lime with good acidity and mineralogy, and a very long finish. Ideally coupled with foods such as salmon, game, poultry, rabbit, pâté and hard cheeses. Serve lightly chilled at 14ºC. Enjoy now or for five to six years.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 93 POINTS - "While this dry wine's crisp apple, white grapefruit and pear notes are understated on the nose and palate, its opulent, creamy mouthfeel is the showcase. Full bodied and honeyed yet not heavy, it shows hints of cashew, earth and saline complexities in development. Although drinking elegantly now, it should be even better from 2026."

La Roquète sits on prime real estate at the foot of the Piélong plateau, north of the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and adjacent to the western end of the famous Le Rayas vineyard. Galets roulés scatter the vineyard floor, but the primarily sandy soils impart great finesse to the wine. The Bruniers recommend drinking the white young for its freshness and elegance, but it can also evolve for several years if so desired.

Clos Saint Jean Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is produced from equal parts Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Clairette. The wine is aged in a combination of new, French oak barrels and vats. The production is quite small with than less than 350 cases made per year.

JEB DUNNUCK 93 POINTS - " Review: "The whites here continue to improve. The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc offers a rocking bouquet of key lime pie, tangerine, and ripe peach that gives way to a powerful, opulent, medium to full-bodied white that has tons of flesh and texture, beautiful balance, and a great finish. This is a white for the dinner table."

The 2019 Domaine de Terrebrune Bandol Blanc opens with subtle aromas of white flowers and exotic fruits. Fresh and tender palate. Minerality coated with a beautiful material. Long and persistent finish. This wine marries well with fish in various preparations and cheeses such as Beaufort, Comté, and Goat.

ROBERT PARKER 93-95 POINTS: "VT's 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is a blend of 45% Clairette, 30% Grenache Blanc, 15% Roussanne and 10% Bourboulenc, fermented in a mix of foudres, demi-muids and barriques. It's medium to full-bodied but tight, with crisp lime, lemon and pear notes carried on a silky-textured palate. You could drink this on release and enjoy it for its focus and delineation, or you could give the inner richness the time it needs (2-3 years) to emerge and soften the subtle citrus zest notes on the finish."

Of the 8 hectares of old vines that Marie and François Giraud farm in Galimardes, a rocky and red clay soil on the road between the villages Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Sorgues, 1 hectare are white varieties - roughly equal parts Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne and Bourboulenc. Each variety is harvested exactly when it is ripe and is gently pressed into tank except the Roussanne which is fermented in French oak demi-muids. After 6 months of aging Marie assembles the final blend. Due to the age of the vines the exact blend changes from vintage to vintage as does the quantity of wine bottled." -Importer Note

Complex nose of tropical fruit and brioche. Mouth combining vivacity and smoothness with notes of citrus, tropical fruit and flowers with a very mineral finish. Pair with truffle brouillade, grilled fish with sauce, fish tagine, oysters au gratin, lobster, capon with cream and vin jaune, carpaccio of marinated fish.
Blend: 40% Clairette, 25% Grenache Blanc, 35% Roussanne

Freshly picked white flowers, citrus, pear, tropical fruits, hints of acacia honey and apricot. This wine is perfect for an aperitif with freshly sucked oysters, pan seared scallops, fresh fish dishes, rabbit or chicken casseroles.

WINE SPECTATOR 95 POINTS: "A plump and creamy style, with alluring yellow apple, Cavaillon melon, pear and peach flavors all gliding through, backed by hints of warm brioche and almond cream. Quite alluring in the end. Drink now through 2021. 1,200 cases made, 75 cases imported."

Chef-turned-Winemaker Francois Villard's "Les Contours de Deponcins" VdP is an exceptional value from grapes grown just outside of the appellation on his 12 hectare estate. A true classic, this 100% Viognier pairs perfectly with soft shell crab. Viognier's purest expression arguably comes from the Northern Rhone's Condrieu AOP. This village is one of the smallest in France producing miniscule quantities of seductive, aromatic white wine at high prices. Chef-turned-Winemaker Francois Villard's "Les Contours de Deponcins" VdP is an exceptional value from grapes grown just outside of the appellation on his 12 hectare estate. A true classic, this 100% Viognier pairs perfectly and effortlessly with soft shells, pad thai and roasted white meats.

WINE SPECTATOR 93 POINTS - "Alluring, with almond cream, white peach, yellow apple and Cavaillon melon flavors gliding through. The caressing finish has a light piecrust echo. Drink now through 2023."

Guigal is a reference point estate for the Northern Rhone Valley whose name is synonymous with quality. This quality extends from their entry level wines all the way up to the single vineyard Cote Rotie's.

The value priced Cotes du Rhone Rouge and Blanc are amongst our best selling wines as they consistently over-deliver.

Guigal is also renowned for their white wines from Condrieu, Hermitage and Chateauneuf du Pape, yet probably the most eye-opening bottling is their 'basic' Cotes du Rhone Blanc. The secret is its aromatic intensity which derives from its high percentage of Viognier, another signature grape of the Northern Rhone. This is made with more than 50% Viognier along with Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Grenache Blanc.

Noted Rhone critic, Jeb Dunnuck gave Guigal's Cotes du Rhone Blanc a 90 Point Score saying it was "Tasting like a mini Condrieu." This is high praise as the sought after, small production wines from the tiny appellation of Condrieu generally sell for $50 and up!

At the sale price of $12.99 each, it is a good time to stock up on this delicious daily drinker.

JEB DUNNUCK 90 POINTS - "The quality of this cuvee has soared over the past decade, and the 2018 Cotes du Rhone Blanc is another terrific vintage. Tasting like a mini Condrieu with its floral, orange blossom, and honeysuckle aromas and flavors, it's medium-bodied, fresh, and lively on the palate, with an attractive mix of richness and freshness. Drink it over the coming year or two."

J-B. Souillard can be considered a micro-négociant, sourcing grapes from carefully selected tiny, single plots. In the winery the approach is quite hands-off with only the minimum amount of SO2 added at bottling. This Roussanne has lovely golden hints, on the nose is intense, ripe and creamy.

WINE SPECTATOR 98 POINTS - "Honeysuckle, verbena and chamomile aromas stream out first, followed by a remarkably creamy core of yellow apple, white peach, heather honey and warm mirabelle plum notes. Hazelnut oil and brioche line the finish, adding considerable length. Despite all the lushness and depth, this manages to maintain a sense of tension and precision as well. Amazing wine."

The Muscat expresses itself with finesse. Delicate flavours tingle the tongue with notes of pear and apricot.Traditional. In stainless steel tank at 15°C, bringing a volume of 7 to 10% neutral alcohol, to limit fermentation to a density of approximately 1050 so that at least 110 grams of sugar remain per litre.

ROBERT PARKER 93 POINTS: "The 2010 Hermitage La Chapelle Blanc is 100% Marsanne from the vineyard known as Maison Blanche situated at the top of the Hermitage appellation, above the famed lieu-dit for white Hermitage, Les Rocoules. This cuvee is very limited in availability so I’ll keep my notes brief. Aromas of white currants, pepper, quince and apricot marmalade are present in this full-bodied, gorgeously rich, pure, stunning white. Completely locked down at present, it should be forgotten for 8-10 years and drunk over the following two decades. It will unquestionably be a very long-lived white wine."

Pierre Bénétière is a self-made man and staunch Northern Rhone traditionalist cut from the mold of the great icons of the region, Gentaz-Dervieux, Verset, Juge, Allemand, etc. While Pierre grew up in a wine family, his parents did not actually produce wine, but were merchants in Condrieu selling local table wines to the bars and restaurants in the area. He eventually studied Enology and started his winery in the late `80s by acquiring a small parcel of land in the southern end of Cote Rotie (in the lieu-dit of Cordeloux near Condrieu) and clearing and planting the vineyards himself. He later added two small vineyards in Condrieu itself as well as a small parcel of old vines in the heart of the Cote Rotie appellation, on the Cote Brune and right in the middle of Guigal’s famed “La Turque”!

The Condrieu is nicely phenolic in texture, and avoids the cloying quality that one often finds in this appellation. The richness of the wine is nicely balanced with an underlying acidity (he is clearly picking on the early side).

ORGANIC