Château Maucoil Privilège Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020 (Rhône) - Wine Review

After enjoying the beautiful 2016 Château Maucoil Privilège Châteauneuf-du-Pape a few years ago, tonight's red wine review is the latest edition of this terrific, certified organic red wine that arrived at the LCBO last month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on December 16th - with plenty of bottles still available for purchase.

It is produced by Château Maucoil, an historic property that is situated in an area of Châteauneuf-du-Pape that has been occupied since Roman times when they set up a base for Caesar's legions. The Château Maucoil estate and castle was built in 1624 and inherited by Joseph de La Pise, Lord of Maucoil and archivist of the House of Orange-Nassau (the Dutch royal family). Winegrowing has been an intrinsic part of the property since the 17th century, with Château Maucoil possessing some of Châteauneuf-du-Pape's oldest vines, some of which are over 100 years old.

Château Maucoil has changed hands many times over the years, with a series of illustrious families taking over the reins to develop the estate and establish its reputation. Most recently, in late 2022, Château Maucoil was acquired by Bernard Duseigneur from Groupe Maucoil Lavau, which was owned jointly by the (65%) Lavau and (35%) Bonnet families.

Today, Château Maucoil has 45 hectares of vines in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, all of which have been tended to organically since 2011. With the estate's privileged situation and unique terroir, the vines are allowed to grow at pace with care, precision, and patience. The soils are worked in the traditional method, without any chemical weed killers, while preferring the use of ancient methods such as furrowing, forming mounds, and ploughing. The vineyards are tended to with maximum respect for the people and the environment.

This cuvée marks a return to the traditions of Châteauneuf-du-Pape by using the original 13 grape varieties that were permitted within the AOC (in 2009 the list of permitted grape varieties was expanded). It is crafted with 50% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 8% Cinsault, Clairette, 5% Bourboulenc, Vaccarèse, Muscardin, Counoise, Terret, Roussanne, Picpoul, and Picardan. All the grapes were hand-harvested from a plot of old vines that were planted on sand and large rounded stones. After meticulously sorting the grapes, it was vinified using traditional methods and represents a return to the origins of winemaking by co-fermenting the grapes and ageing for 18 months in larger demi-muids. It was then aged for several years in bottle prior to release.

The 2020 growing season in the Southern Rhône began with a mild winter, followed by a hot and dry summer, with slightly cooler nights, which led to wines with good freshness and balance. Conditions during harvest were ideal, resulting in a stress-free vintage with solid yields. Since 2020 lacked lengthier periods of extreme heat, Grenache took its time to ripen. Fortunately, some light rain arrived towards the end of September, and by early October all Grenache grapes were harvested. There is some variance in the quality of wines from 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but overall, the wines are harmonious, fresh, balanced, and engaging, with more delicate tannins and lower alcohol levels, and offer immediate drinkability.

It is also interesting that the 2016 I enjoyed in November 2020 retailed for $86, while this vintage is priced at more than 25% less, an unusual surprise in these highly inflationary times, although the ownership change may have been a factor. Let's see how this organic 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

CHÂTEAU MAUCOIL PRIVILÈGE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2020 - AC, Rhône, France (#16210) (XD) - $62.95
Certified organic and a blend of 50% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 8% Cinsault, Clairette, 5% Bourboulenc, Vaccarèse, Muscardin, Counoise, Terret, Roussanne, Picpoul, and Picardan. The highly aromatic nose is deep and complex with aromas of ripe, dark red & black fruits, black cherry, black raspberry, blackberry, stony mineral, garrigue, white pepper spice, kirsch, and smoke. On the dry, medium-full to full-bodied palate it is ripe, harmonious, gently spicy, and warming, but within balance, with lovely savoury, stony, black-blue fruits, peppery spice, garrigue, and meaty flavours with touches of violet. Acids are crisp, juicy, and succulent, while the ripe tannins are smooth and refined with good structure. Stony, smoky, meaty, and peppery spice notes linger on the finish, with excellent length. Provides immense pleasure now, and will continue to do so over the next 10+ years. Highly recommended buy! Score: 94 pts

Other fine wines by Château Maucoil can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia / Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Les Vignerons du Castelas Le Monarque Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2022 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely, organic, Viognier-based white wine blend from Rhône that arrived at the LCBO over the long weekend in the October 7th LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Les Vignerons du Castelas, a co-operative winery that was established in 1952 by a handful of winegrowers that were keen to combine their efforts and wills to produce appellation wines of high quality. The co-op is located in Rochefort du Gard, between Pont d'Avignon and Pont du Gard, on the right bank of the Rhône River, and is named after a XII century Romanesque chapel that is perched atop the village. The origins of Rochefort du Gard as a winegrowing village goes back to 1933, when it became one of the first villages to be approved in the, at the time, very young Côtes du Rhône Appellation, officially gained its status within the appellation in 1937.

Following the formation of the co-op, the winery opened its doors three years later, in 1955, on the eve of harvest, and inscribed on the cellar walls was the quote "Less wine but better" - a philosophy that still holds today. Since that time, several generations have followed one another and, together, they continue to make wines with respect for tradition, while also respecting the people and the land.

Today, 45 families of winemakers, who are attached to their land and vineyard, form Les Vignerons du Castelas. Together, they have over 450 hectares of vineyards, mainly in the Côtes du Rhône appellation, with four distinct soil characteristics - deep soils on stony spreads, marl soils, sandy soils, and Villafranchian terraced floors - with each soil type playing an important role in the character of the wine. The families of winegrowers cultivate their quality vines in order to create supple and pleasurable wines for every occasion. The winemakers of Rochefort du Gard are committed, by vocation, to healthy vines on a living soil, to create wines that express the enthusiasm and sincerity of their work accomplished with passion, knowledge, and sensitivity.

The name of this wine - Le Monarque - comes from the butterfly that is found in their region, in the Rhône Valley, and migrates every summer to Africa, travelling more than 4,000 kilometres during its journey. As a wine that seems to show up every couple of years, I last enjoyed the 2019 Les Vignerons du Castelas Le Monarque Côtes du Rhône Blanc just over two years ago. For this vintage, it continues to be a blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne, as per the back label. The grapes were grown on sandy marl soils which are mainly composed of clay, limestone, and carbonate sand. The grapes were harvested by machine at night to preserve freshness and underwent a slow, 1-month fermentation in temperature-controlled vats. The wine was matured in concrete tanks and bottled at the property without any added sulphites. Let's see how this 2022 Côtes du Rhône Blanc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LES VIGNERONS DU CASTELAS LE MONARQUE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2022 - AP, France (#18570) (XD) - $17.95
This organic white wine is a blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne. Fragrant and highly attractive aromas of yellow and white florals, lemon citrus, ripe apple, and pear with white peach and herbally tones. It's medium-full bodied and impressively concentrated on the fleshy palate with lovely yellow and white floral, lemon citrus, apple, pear, and herbal replays in a dry flavour profile. Some leesy mineral notes appear on the nicely textured, slightly oily palate. Juicy with fresh, zesty acidity, while citrusy, orchard fruit, and leesy mineral notes linger on the long, succulent, and lightly spicy finish. Lots going on here and a highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other delicious wines by Les Vignerons du Castelas can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia / Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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M. Chapoutier Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc 2021 (Midi) - Wine Review

A perennial favourite of mine that seems to get better every vintage, tonight's white wine review is this lovely wine from Roussillon that arrived at the LCBO today as part of the September 24, 2022 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

M. Chapoutier is the legendary producer from Rhône whose origins go back to the year 1808. In 1990, the renowned Michel Chapoutier took over the reins of the family business. In 2000, he forayed into Roussillon when he purchased his first estate in the region. Michel set up Domaine de Bila-Haut in Latour-de-France, Roussillon, an area with an intense, forceful, and sometimes violent past with contoured terraces, stony soils, and a rich geology. Michel's children, Mathilde and Maxime,
have since joined the family business to form the next generation of the Chapoutier family to perpetuate the family's tradition and vision to craft biodynamic wines which express the full potential of its terroir and true character of the soils.

I enjoyed the 2020 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc last November, and while the 2021 growing season was a tough year across France where most regions experienced record rainfall, Roussillon suffered its most severe drought in the last 10 years. However, Chapoutier's use of biodynamic practices helped save the day! A cold winter led to later than normal budburst, while frost only affected a few of Chapoutier's plots on the plains and lower valleys - their Domaine is actually located in the upper reaches of the Agly Valley. Cool weather continued into late spring, and summer was not as hot as recent years, with no scorching hot days. This worked out well given the lack of water.

In Roussillon, the growing season runs counter to the rest of the winegrowing regions where the lack of water, combined with biodynamic growing practices, avoids any cryptogrammic pressure and they were able to bring in a perfectly healthy crop. When there is a lack of water, biodynamic compost, fermented forest litter help to invigorate the soil, and horn dung, allowed Chapoutier to produce an average harvest in terms of quantity, where much of Roussillon is recording the smallest harvest in its history. 2021 produced a later than average harvest due to some rain at the beginning of September. The grapes ripened during the second half of September, without excessive heat, and produced a very fine vintage.

This delicious white wine continues to be a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu. The grapes come from two places - limestone, clay soils and gneiss in the Agly Valley, and granite soils at higher altitude (500 metre), later ripening sites. The grapes were manually harvested early in the morning to preserve freshness, and hand-selected to protect the aromas. At the winery, after pressing, the must is cold-settled. It underwent fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, followed by ageing for a few months (on its lees) in order to preserve freshness and enhance minerality. Let's see how this 2021 Côtes du Roussillon Blanc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

M. CHAPOUTIER BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2021 - AP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $16.95
Composed of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu. Elegant, yellow floral, herbs, waxy, and lemon pith aromas rise out of the glass with hints of grapefruit and smoke. It's medium-full bodied with a rich mouthfeel and ripe flavours of lemon citrus, grapefruit, yellow floral, orange, white peach, and herbs with melon and mineral undertones. Acids are fresh and lively. Some spiciness and a subtle chalky texture on the mid-palate. Nicely balanced with a satisfyingly long, crisp, minerally finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

You can get other lovely wines by M. Chapoutier at the LCBO and through their Agent - Dandurand.

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Château de Nages ButiNAGES Red 2019 and White 2020 (Rhône) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of lovely, organic wines from southern Rhône that arrived at the LCBO for the first time last weekend as part of the January 22nd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Château de Nages is a family-owned operation located in Costières de Nîmes that has been passed down over the generations. The family's history at Château de Nages begins with Joseph Torres, the family patriarch who at 68 years of age purchased this southern Rhône estate during World War II. After the passing of Joseph, the estate was managed by his son-in-law Alfred Gassier.

Today, the highly-acclaimed Michel Gassier is the fourth generation of the family to manage the estate. Situated in the heart of a Natura 2000 zone (an ecological network of protected areas of the European Union), the vineyards are planted with typical Rhône varietals and organically farmed. They are firmly committed to protecting their ecosystem and using resources wisely. To produce their fabulous wines, they combine ancestral know-how with modern techniques and with an absolute respect for the soil.

Both of these wines are from Château de Nages' ButiNAGES collection, which also includes a rosé. ButiNAGES, which means "gather nectar", is a metaphor that describes both the style of these wines, as well as the vineyard approach that allows us to achieve it. The grapes for these wines come from their younger vineyards, but receive the same attentiveness as their other cuvées. ButiNAGES wines are crafted with purity of fruit in mind to produce fresh, crisp, and unoaked wines with a soft mouthfeel. While the producer suggests that these are easy-drinking crowd pleasers (which they are), the quality offered in these wines are far superior than what you would normally find in an easy-drinking crowd pleaser type of wine. The 2019 vintage was outstanding in the Southern Rhône Valley, while the 2020 vintage for white wine varietals was very good. Let's see how these lovely wines are tasting tonight...

Tasting Notes:

BUTINAGES WHITE 2020 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#20906) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Blend of 70% Grenache Blanc and 30% Roussanne that was aged on fine lees in concrete vats with batonnage for 3 months. Elegant, fragrant, medium-high intensity aromatics are leesy mineral-inflected with lemon citrus, grapefruit, and white florals nuanced with ripe apple, stone fruits, and white peach. The palate is dry and impressively concentrated with flavours of apple, stone fruit, grapefruit, citrus, and white floral. Nicely balanced with fresh, succulent acidity. Saline minerals with citrusy notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

BUTINAGES RED 2019 - AP Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#20637) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap. Unoaked blend of 50% Syrah, 30% Grenache, and 20% Mourvèdre that was destemmed without crushing to keep only whole berries. It was blended and aged on lees in vats for 6 months. The medium-high intensity nose offers a lovely bouquet of dark cherry, raspberry, wild herbs, smoky minerality, garrigue, peppery spice, and subtle meaty nuances. It's medium-full bodied with rich, ripe, supple, and dusty tannins that have a subtly textured grip. Flavours of dark cherry, raspberry, licorice, peppery spice, smoky minerality, and garrigue are lifted by fresh, vibrant acidity. Finishes long and juicy with smoky mineral notes. Highly recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from Château de Nages are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.

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Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc 2020 (Midi) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2018 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc at the beginning of this year, tonight's white wine review is the latest vintage of a perennial favourite from Roussillon that arrives at the LCBO tomorrow as part of the November 27 LCBO VINTAGES Release.

This white wine is produced by the legendary Rhône producer M. Chapoutier. The origins of this company go back to the year 1808, but today it is owned by Michel Chapoutier who took over the reigns in 1990. In 2000, Chapoutier purchased its first estate in Roussillon and this particular wine is from Domaine de Bila-Haut, a domain that Chapoutier founded in Latour-de-France, Roussillon. Today, Mathilde and Maxime, the children of Michel, form the next generation of the Chapoutier family to join business, and together they perpetuate the family tradition and vision to craft wines based on the concept of terroir.

For this vintage, the blend remains a mix of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu. The grapes come from limestone, clay soils, and gneiss in the Agly Valley, as well as from granite soils at 500 metre higher altitude, later ripening sites. There were manually harvested early in the morning and hand selected to protect the aromas, following by pressing and fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. It was aged for a few months in order to preserve freshness and enhance minerality. Despite record-low yields in what was a challenging growing season, the 2020 vintage, in general, produced wines exhibiting the perfect trilogy of elegance, freshness and complexity. Let's see how this 2020 Roussillon Blanc is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2020 - AP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $15.95
This lovely blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu has fresh, elegant, ripe, and honeyed aromas of floral, lemon citrus, orange blossom, and apple rising out of the glass with hints of grapefruit and smoky notes. On the medium+ bodied, slightly creamy palate, it has very good concentration with lovely, ripe, honeyed flavours of floral, lemon citrus, grapefruit, and leesy minerals in a dry flavour profile. It's very well-balanced and nicely textured with fresh acidity, while leesy minerals, with touches of white florals and citrus lingering on the long, flavourful, and slightly spicy finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 90 pts

Other lovely wines from M. Chapoutier are available at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dandurand.

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Turkey Flat Barossa Valley White 2017 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is this lovely Australian white wine made with Rhône varietals that newly arrived at the LCBO last weekend as part of the feature on Australia in the May 29th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Turkey Flat was established on the edge of Tanunda in the Barossa Valley in 1847 by Johann Fiedler. The name "Turkey Flat" is derived from a large, native bird that frequented the rich flats by Tanunda Creek. However, this bird was not a turkey - it was actually an Ardeotis australis, or known locally as the Plains Bustard, a bird rarely seen now. Fiedler was one of the first Prussian Lutherans to make wine in the Barossa and is noted for his early efforts in experimenting with grape varietals (he planted at least 72 varietals in the vineyard!) to test the viticultural viability of the new settlement.

Since the 1860's, the Schulz family have been the custodians of Turkey Flat and they have continued the legacy laid down by Fiedler to grow vines and make wines that suit the landscape. Today, Christie Schulz is the fourth generation of the family to become caretaker of this remarkable estate. With the extensive viticultural research undertaken in the vineyards, Christie and her team have been able to sensitively blend traditional Rhône varietals that express their sense of place, such as this Barossa Valley White.

In the vineyard, Turkey Flat aims to optimise the ecological system and using natural influences to control vegetative growth and yields. One of their biggest successes is the use of permanent cover crops in all their vineyards, an approach which shifts the vineyard from a monoculture to a managed ecosystem. All aspects of Turkey Flat Vineyards are committed to reducing their environmental footprint.

This exact composition of this blend of Marsanne, Viognier, and Roussanne blend changes every year. The 2017 vintage, which was another exceptional growing season, consists of 45% Marsanne, 33% Viognier, and 22% Roussanne that was sourced from the Bethany and Stonewell regions of the Barossa. Traditional to the Turkey Flat style, the Marsanne was picked early and pressed lightly. The Viognier was handpicked, chilled, crushed and saw 48 hours on skins, and then pressed lightly, while the Roussanne was a little riper when handpicked and subsequently whole bunch pressed. After fermentation, including partial malolactic fermentation, 45% of the wine was aged in large puncheon barrels, 50% new. Let's how this white wine is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

TURKEY FLAT BAROSSA VALLEY WHITE 2017 - Barossa Valley, South Australia (#17646) (XD) - $17.95
Screw cap. Blend of 45% Marsanne, 33% Viognier, and 22% Roussanne that was partially oak aged. The medium-high intensity nose offers lactic and vanilla-infused aromas of stone fruit and citrus with touches of sweet herb and floral. On the medium+ bodied, creamy palate it has lovely stone fruit, buttery, lactic, and sweet herbal flavours with floral touches. It has fresh, juicy acidity and a fine, slightly chalky textured, minerally finish, with excellent length. Recommended buy and enjoy nicely chilled. Score: 90 pts

Although there's one other Turkey Flat wine available at the LCBO, the rest of the wines from their portfolio can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.

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Les Vignerons du Castelas Le Monarque Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2019 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a delicious white wine from Côtes du Rhône. It's a new arrival to the LCBO and is featured as part of the theme on fresh French sippers in the May 15th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Les Vignerons du Castelas is a co-operative winery that was formed in 1952 by a handful of winegrowers that were keen to pool their efforts to produce appellation wines of high quality. The winery is located on the right bank of the Rhône River, between Pont d'Avignon and Pont du Gard in Rochefort du Gard, and named after Romanesque chapel from the XI century that is perched atop the village.

Today, there are 50 families of winegrowers that form Les Vignerons du Castelas to make wines that respect traditions and employ agricultural practices that respect the people and the land. Together, these winegrowers cultivate over 500 hectares of vines, with the majority in the Côtes du Rhône appellation. They are attached to their terroirs and vineyards, and are committed to healthy vines and living soils, while striving to pursue a "lutte raisonnée" form of viticulture to minimize their impact on the land.

This white wine is named "Le Monarque", after the butterfly that migrates from the producer's region every summer to Africa, a journey that can be more than 4,000 kilometres. This cuvée is a blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne from vineyards that are undergoing conversion to organic in order to promote responsible viticulture and also preserves biodiversity. The grapes were harvested in the morning to preserve freshness, then destemmed and fermented, and finally aged on the lees for 6 to 8 months prior to bottling.

Tasting Note:

LES VIGNERONS DU CASTELAS LE MONARQUE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2019 - AP, France (#18570) (XD) - $15.95
This delicious blend of 60% Viognier, 20% Grenache Blanc, and 20% Roussanne has fresh and fragrant floral aromas off the top, followed by white peach, orange, ripe melon, and touches of sweet herbal notes. The dry, medium-bodied palate is ripe and slightly honeyed with pretty, floral, honeysuckle, peach, orange citrus, and melon flavours supported by fresh acidity. Some bitterness and leesy minerals add to the peach, melon, orange, and floral notes on the long finish. Lovely Spring sipper! Score: 88+ pts

Other delicious wines from Les Vignerons du Castelas can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc 2018 (Midi) - Wine Review

Tonight's white wine review is a lovely Côtes du Roussillon Blanc by M. Chapoutier that returned to the LCBO as part of the recent January 23rd LCBO VINTAGES Release.

The origins of this historic and highly-acclaimed winemaking company date back to the year 1808, with the Chapoutier name entering the picture in 1897 and Marius Chapoutier becoming the sole owner of the company in 1922. In 1929, Marius created the new winery at the foot of the Hermitage hill. Upon the passing of Marius, his son, Marc, took over the family business and changed the name to what we see today - M. Chapoutier.

In 1990, current owner and legendary Michel Chapoutier became the head of the company and began to apply the principles of biodynamic cultivation. In 2000, Chapoutier purchased its first estate in Roussillon. This particular wine is from Domaine de Bila-Haut, a domain that Chapoutier founded in Latour-de-France, Roussillon. At first, there were a couple of wines created to express this terroir, then followed by six years of reflection, observation, and analysis. Over time, more wines were added to the portfolio, as well as adding other sites in Roussillon.

Today, Mathilde and Maxime, the children of Michel, form the next generation of the Chapoutier family to join business. Together, they perpetuate the family tradition and vision to craft wines based on the concept of terroir.

I enjoyed the 2015 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Côtes du Roussillon Blanc back in December 2017 and am delighted to open the 2018 vintage tonight. This bottling is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu varietals that were grown on sites belonging to Domaine de Bila-Haut. Some of the grapes come from limestone, clay soils, and gneiss in the Agly Valley, while the rest were from granite soils located on higher altitude (500 metres elevation), later ripening sites. The grapes were manually-harvested and hand-sorted to protect the aromas, while vinification occurred in stainless steel tanks, and ageing lasted only a few months to enhance freshness and minerality. Let's see how this white wine from Roussillon is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LES VIGNES DE BILA-HAUT CÔTES DU ROUSSILLON BLANC 2018 - AP, Midi, France (#485656) (XD) - $15.95
This blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, and Macabeu has lovely floral, lemon citrus, grapefruit, and ripe apple aromas of medium+ intensity with touches of smoky mineral. The dry, medium+ bodied palate is slightly fleshy with fresh, crisp and lively acidity to support the ripe lemon citrus, grapefruit and white floral flavours, with fine mineral notes arriving on the long, crisp finish. Recommended buy. Score: 89 pts

Other lovely wines from M. Chapoutier can be found at the LCBO, as well as through their Agent - Dandurand.

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Michel Gassier Château de Nages JT White 2015 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely organic white wine from Rhône that most recently came to LCBO VINTAGES on May 16 and is still readily available across Ontario.

It is produced by Château de Nages, a winery in Costières de Nîmes, within the southern Rhône Valley that I had the pleasure of visiting in May 2018. In fact, I recall tasting this delicious wine when I visited the winery.

For the Gassier family, the story of Château de Nages begins when Joseph Torrès, Michel Gassier's great grandfather, purchased the southern Rhone estate during World War II. Upon Joseph's passing, his son-in-law, Alfred Gassier inherits the property while remaining in Algeria with his wife. However, his four children reconstruct their lives in France with his eldest son, Jean Gassier, arriving first and restoring the badly neglected farm. Alfred's second son, Roger Gassier, arrives soon thereafter and revives Château de Nages, eventually passing along the magnificent vineyard and exceptional winery to his son, the highly-acclaimed winemaker Michel Gassier.

The JT White is dedicated to visionary founder Joseph Torrès and uses Roussanne and Viognier grapes that come from their very best parcels in the extreme north of the appellation where the terroir consists of grès (rolled pebbles) from the Rhône River over red clay soils rich in iron. There is also some Grenache Blanc in the blend, and all of the grapes were grown according to certified organic farming techniques, with a particular attention to soil health. The fruit was manually harvested and underwent natural yeast fermentation in French oak barrels, followed by some lees ageing prior to blending and bottling.

Having tasted this particular vintage on at least three separate occasions over the last few years, I am curious to see where this barrel-fermented white wine is in its evolution. Let's see how it is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

MICHEL GASSIER CHÂTEAU DE NAGES JT WHITE 2015 - AC Costières de Nîmes, Rhône, France (#485854) (XD) - $26.95
This barrel-fermented blend of 64% Roussanne, 20% Viognier, and 16% Grenache Blanc pours a medium yellow gold and has medium+ intensity aromatics featuring rich and complex notes of lemony, waxy, paraffin, butter, and pear with touches of saline. It's full-bodied on the rich palate with buttery, pear, lemon, herb, slightly smoky wood, and leesy flavours followed by touches of saline. It's nicely textured with very good acidity, but also shows some heat on the mid-palate. Long, smoky finish with touches of saline, lemon, and pear. Enjoy now, nicely chilled. Score: 90 pts

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Les Vignerons du Castelas Côtes du Rhône Blanc 2017 (France) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a nice white blend from Côtes du Rhône that will arrive in LCBO VINTAGES on August 31.

It is produced by the co-operative winery Les Vignerons du Castelas that was formed in 1952 by a handful of winemakers that wanted to pool their efforts to make the most of the land and terroir found in the Côtes du Rhône appellation. The winery is located on the right bank of the Rhône river, between Pont d'Avignon and Pont du Gard in Rochefort du Gard. The name of the winery comes from a Romanesque chapel of the XI century that is perched atop the village.

Today, the co-operative consists of more than 500 hectares of vines, the majority within the Côtes du Rhône appellation. Terroir consists primarily of sandy marls from the Pliocene period and terraces with round pebbles from the Villafranchiennes period on the plateau of the Signargues appellation.

Tasting Note:

LES VIGNERONS DU CASTELAS CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2017 - AC, France (#142125) (XD) - $15.95
This blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, and 20% Clairette has a medium intensity and evolving nose of floral, beeswax, peach, citrus, and grapefruit tones infused with tarragon herbs. It is medium+ bodied with 6 to 8 months of lees ageing adding weight and texture to the dry palate. Clean, lively acids are well-balanced. More floral, beeswax, tarragon and lemon citrus notes on the flavour profile that follow through to the finish with hints of mineral and very good length. Score: 88 pts

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Rhône Wine Tour 2018 - Cairanne (Day 2)

After a fine day tasting the white and rose wines from Luberon and Ventoux, our second day focused on Cairanne, the newest Southern Rhône Valley Cru. Cairanne was granted Côtes du Rhône status in 1953 and became a Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation in 1967. In 2008, an application was filed to the INAO to grant Cru status to Cairanne. Denis Alary, a man who I had lunch with later in the day, was a major driving force behind the push to have Cairanne elevated to Cru status. After more than 15 years of hard work, Cairanne was finally granted Cru status in 2016, beginning with the 2015 vintage.

It was another early start on Tuesday morning. After about half an hour of driving we arrived at our first winery of the day - Domaine Oratoire Saint-Martin. I was excited to visit this Domaine as I had done some research prior and discovered that they had some quality wines, some of which had previously been available in Ontario and Québec. The vineyards on this land have been cultivated by grape growers for 10 generations over 300 years. Today, this organic and biodynamic winery is owned by two brothers, Frédéric and François Alary.

We met Frédéric, who was unfortunately nursing a broken arm, and got a brief tour of the small production facility. It was interesting to see many different types of fermentation tanks for such a small winery - they definitely like to experiment and try different things to best express their wines and terroir. They have 25 hectares of vineyards, with 20% planted to white wine varietals - a fairly high percentage given that the average per producer is only 5%. After tasting through their wines, I can see why they produce more white wines than the average Cairanne winery. The whites showed elegance, freshness, and richness, with an ability to age well, as we discovered when we tasted the 2008 Haut Coustias Blanc (91 pts). The term "Coustias" translates into "bad earth", but for wine, this is very much a good thing. Domaine Oratoire Saint-Martin stopped producing rosé wines in 2009, as they were too heavy, so we only tasted white wines. and a few other surprise wines including a lovely 2000 Cuvée Séraphine Blanc dessert wine that was made with late harvest & dried grapes.

The second stop of the day was a short drive to Domaine Boisson, another small, family-owned and -operated winery. It was founded by current owner Bruno Boisson's great grandfather in the middle of the 19th century from 6-8 hectares of vines. In 1957, Bruno's grandfather, René, expanded the winery to 28 ha, of which 15 ha are in Cairanne. They began producing their own wines under the Domaine Boisson label in 1986. While Bruno and his father Régis Boisson produce wines using their own vision, training, and experience, vinification is supervised by highly-acclaimed oenologist Philippe Cambie. Cairanne appellation rules specify that white wines must contain at least 2 of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Viognier, and rosés must be a blend of a minimum 50% Grenache Noir and at least 20% Syrah and/or Mourvèdre. This suits Domaine Boisson perfectly as their Cairanne vineyards have various types of soils and exposures, allowing them to create a variety of blends.

Domaine Boisson has 3 main types of terroir on their properties: Les Sablières - a covering of clay and sand of varying thicknesses dating from the Miocene period, supported by a subsoil of grey sand; Les Garrigues - scrublands with shallow soil of ancient flat terraces from the Quaternary period; Les Côteaux - beds of stony soil of varying thicknesses, alternating with layers of calcareous clay coloured light yellow, grey and white, and mostly south-facing. Since the weather was nice, Bruno was kind enough to take us to one of his hilltop vineyards, as well as a castle where we got a lovely view of Cairanne and the Rhône Valley. All of the wines are fermented using natural yeasts and the winery is in the process of converting to certified organic. Of their total production, 12% is white wine and 6% rosé, and we tasted everything available - 3 whites and 1 rosé.

Lunch was a short drive away at Côteaux et Fourchettes, a nicely appointed restaurant situated on the country side in Cairanne. It was a fine, hot and sunny day, so we sat outside on the patio and were joined by winemaker Caroline Moro and the one and only Denis Alary.

The Alary family's involvement in viticulture and wine production dates back to 1692, during the reign of Louis XIV. Amazingly, the first agricultural land-register of Cairanne dates back to 1414, when there were 100 parcels of vineyards. Tradition and passion are key elements to tendering and maturing wines within the Alary family, with experience being passed on from one generation to the next - now spanning 10 generations. Over the years, they have learned to understand their terroir in Cairanne. Most of the vines at Domaine Alary are south-facing, with terroir consisting of white and blue clay soils on the slopes, 'Garrigues' on the lower terraces, cobbles covering underlying white and red clay on the high plateau, along with the richer soils close to the Plan de Dieu. They have been making white wines for over 150 years and currently have a total of 5 ha planted to five varietals that are always vinified separately before blending. Today, Denis Alary represents the 10th generation of the Alary family and personally manages all aspects of the Domaine with the assistance of two employees.

Mr. Alary is also an idealist who dreams of improving things and people, and is the reason why he pushed himself to accept the management position of the Cairanne Trade Union more than 20 years ago. He was a very important piece in the pursuit of Cairanne achieving Cru status and is always looking to improve. As leader of the Trade Union, he searches until he finds consensus. Thus, the rules governing Cairanne appellation white wines which specified that Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne must make up at least 70% of the final blend will be grandfathered in until 2023 to allow grape growers the time to establish the necessary yields. Over the course of lunch, I also learned that only 5% of all wine production in Cairanne is currently devoted to white wines, but Mr. Alary expects it to increase to 10% within the next five years. Listening to Mr. Alary speak, I sensed that he is a determined man that is also patient and considerate of others. As we tasted only a few delicious wines from the Alary portfolio, a visit to the Domaine in the future would surely be a special treat.

Caroline Moro is the winemaker at Les Grandes Serres, a negociant firm that was founded in the Southern Rhône Valley in 1977 by Michel Picard who is an owner that is also associated with producing wine in Burgundy. The winery is based in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but they also have vineyards in Gigondas and Cairanne. Additionally, they have formed strong ties and partnerships with key players in each appellation, including a Cairanne winery and numerous wine domains in order to secure the best possible grapes.

After lunch, we visited Domaine Rabasse Charavin, another family-owned and -operated winery that has been passed on from generation to generation. The history begins in 1890, when Edmond Rabasse, the great grandfather of current owner Corinne Couturier, purchased a cottage and the 3 ha of land surrounding it. Around 1925, his son Marcel Rabasse took over the land and added 5 ha of vineyards and olive groves. In 1950, Jeanine Rabasse (Corinne's mother) married Abel Charavin, and together they gave this small estate a new focus on winemaking. Corinne took over the reins in 1984, and was joined by her daughter Laure in 1993. Together, they form a unique mother-daughter winemaking team that tends to 40 ha of vines, all of which are handpicked. Domaine Rabasse Charavin practices organic & sustainable winemaking, and all of the wines are vegan-friendly. 5% of their production is devoted to white wines, most of which come from Cairanne. I wasn't too familiar with the Bourboulenc varietal, but I found it interesting to learn here that this grape is more oval-shaped (instead of round), tends to spread out when it grows, and also lowers the alcohol in wine blends due to the grape's low sugar content. We didn't visit the vineyards here, but after tasting through the wines with Laure and Corinne, we stepped out onto the veranda for a lovely view of the Cairanne landscape.

The last winery visit of the day was Domaine Brusset, a family estate that was established in 1947 by the late André Brusset. Prior to founding Domaine Brusset, André had grown grapes since 1929 and was a founding member of the cooperative of Cairanne. Together with his son Daniel, and his grandson Laurent, they formed three generations of winegrowers and winemakers. The three generations combine traditional winemaking with new techniques that were introduced by each generation of winemaker. Today, the Domaine Brusset estate covers 70 ha of vines across 5 appellations, nearly 40% of which are in Cairanne. Not surprisingly, their headquarters and main production facility is also in Cairanne in the heart of the southern Côtes du Rhône valley vineyards. Less than 10% of their production is devoted to white and rosé wines. We tasted the single rosé, which represented 2% of their entire production, and both whites that were available for tasting with Laurent.

We travelled about 1 hour to Nîmes and checked-in to Appart'City Nîmes Arènes - Appart Hôtel - a fine, modern hotel located across the vibrant Esplanade Charles-de-Gaulle and steps from the imposing Arènes de Nîmes (Roman amphitheatre). After freshening up, we were picked up by Henri-Claude Amadieu and headed out for dinner at Bistr'AU - a casual (yet, quite fine) dining spot that was located just outside the city centre.

Henri-Claude is the Head of Sales at the family-owned and -operated Pierre Amadieu, a winery based in Gigondas. He is also the cousin of Pierre Amadieu and one of a number of relatives that are involved in this family winemaking business. Pierre is the grandchild of Pierre Sr. and is the head of the company. He is also a winemaker and joined by his winemaker cousin Jean-Marie, uncle Claude who runs the vineyard, and Henri-Claude's sister (Marie) who is in charge of private customers and the cellar door.

The history of this important estate began with Pierre's grandfather, the original Pierre Amadieu, as a wine grower of 7 ha of vineyards in Gigondas in 1929. They pursue the long-established family tradition of respect for the soil, landscape, and vines in order to produce wines that reflect their unique terroir. Pierre Sr. was a pioneer in the region. In 1945, he built an underground cellar two levels deep to ensure constant temperature and hygrometry, and ten years later, he purchased an old railway tunnel near Pierrelongue (Drôme) that allowed for exceptional ageing. Henri-Claude informed us that the underground cellar is now closed, but suggested that if we were to visit the winery, we might be able to get a look at the impressive cellar. In the 1950's and 60's, Pierre Sr. also practised sustainable farming with up to 1200 sheep that provided natural manure for soil fertilization and also manage cover crops. Today, Pierre seeks to improve the wines with each vintage, looking for elegance and freshness, while also working the vineyards as naturally as possible. While Pierre Amadieu is mostly known for their estate-owned wines from Gigondas, they also work with growers throughout Southern Rhône and produce fine wines from Cairanne, Ventoux, and Tavel, some of which we got to taste at this dinner. Henri-Claude brought many wines to taste, including some exciting back vintage wines that were tasting great! Wine reviews of a couple of my favourite white wines are provided below.

After dinner, Henri-Claude was kind enough to give us a quick driving tour through the city centre of Nîmes. I was pleasantly surprised by the many historical structures found in Nîmes and I can definitely foresee myself visiting the city and spending some time here again, perhaps as a stepping stone to visiting Pierre Amadieu, an hour's drive northeast from here.

After two days of tasting white and rosé wines from Luberon, Ventoux, and Cairanne, I was very impressed with the the appellation wines. The rosé wines from Cairanne producers were pleasing, however, they were not labelled as Cairanne because they did not conform to appellation rules for rosé wines, thus, they were labelled as generic Côtes du Rhône bottles. My view of traditional whites from Southern Rhône prior to this trip consisted of blends made with Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier. However, this view was being completely shattered as Clairette and Grenache Blanc were playing very significant roles in the final blends. The quality is good, and the prices are quite affordable. I was very much looking forward to tasting the wines of Costières de Nîmes on day three.

Tasting Notes:

DOMAINE ORATOIRE SAINT-MARTIN RESERVE DE SEIGNEURS CAIRANNE BLANC 2017 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD) - 13.50 €
40% Clairette, 30% Roussanne, and 30% Grenache Blanc. Elegant, medium intensity nose is clean with lemon citrus, herbs, fennel, and grassy aromas. It is medium bodied and creamy with nice, clean aroma replays plus a fine mineral note. Clean, balanced acids and a touch warm on the long finish. Score: 89 pts

DOMAINE ORATOIRE SAINT-MARTIN HAUT COUSTIAS CAIRANNE BLANC 2016 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD) - 19 €
From 70-90 year old vines, blend of 40% Clairette, 20% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne, and 20% Grenache Blanc. The clairette and Grenache Blanc were fermented in concrete egg, while the Marsanne and Roussane were barrel fermented. Made in a oxidative style, this has a medium-high intensity nose that's herbally and grassy, with subtle wood influence. The medium+ bodied palate is a little creamy and has a slightly leesy character, with pleasing aroma replays. It nicely balanced throughout with good acidity. The mouthfeel is rich, while the finish is long. Score: 90 pts

Agent: N/A

DOMAINE BOISSON CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROSÉ 2017 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD) - 6.20 €
50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Cinsault, and 10% Carignan made in the saignée method. Medium-high intensity nose is fresh with white peach, grapefruit, herbally and garrigue aromas. It is dry on the light-to-medium bodied with a chalky mineral texture, some structure and complexity, and herbally, raspberry aroma replays. Very good finish length. Score: 88 pts

DOMAINE BOISSON CUVÉE L'EXIGENCE CAIRANNE BLANC 2016 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD) - 12.10 €
Blend of 45% Roussanne, 35% Clairette, and 25% Grenache Blanc that underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged in used barrels. Medium intensity nose with apple, stone fruit, lemon citrus. Wood influence is apparent, plus nice aroma replays on the nicely balanced flavour profile. A touch creamy with grapefruit flavours mid-palate. Juicy acids. Nicely textured and elegant on the long finish. Score: 89 pts

Agent: N/A

DOMAINE ALARY L'EXCLUS D'ALARY BLANC 2017 - AOP Côtes du Rhône, France (XD)
Not Cairanne appellation because it is 100% Clairette, however, it is from 35-year-old vines in Cairanne raised in demi-muid barrels. Medium intensity nose offers lanolin, yellow flowers, and white peach aromas. Medium-bodied with crisp acids and lemon oil, herbal, and anise seed flavours. More lemony on the mid-palate. Nicely balanced with fine mineral notes lingering on the finish, with very good length. Score: 88 pts

DOMAINE ALARY L'ESTÉVANAS CAIRANNE BLANC 2017 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD)
Clairette and Roussanne blend. Medium+ intensity nose is fresh with white peach, lemon, yellow floral, and herbs. Nicely textured on the medium+ bodied palate with pleasing aroma replays, bright acids, and very good length on the herbally finish. Score: 89 pts

Agent: Brand New Day Wines & Spirits (ON)

LES GRANDES SERRES CARIUS CAIRANNE BLANC 2017 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD)
Mostly Bourboulenc (50%) with Clairette and Grenache Blanc completing the blend, this has lovely, fresh medium-high intensity aromas and flavour of lanolin, white flower, lemon oil and citrus. It's medium-bodied and elegant, ripe fruited, rich and rounded. Clean acids. Long, elegant finish. Aged on the lees in stainless steel and concrete tanks. Score: 90 pts

Agent: Profile Wine Group (ON)

DOMAINE RABASSE CHARAVIN CUVÉE D'ESTEVANAS CAIRANNE BLANC 2017 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD) - 21 €
Mostly Roussanne, this has a medium+ intensity and clean nose of lemon/lime, floral and herbs. It has bright acids and is somewhat structured, creamy, and very ripe with nice herbally aroma replays. Very good length on the finish. Score: 89 pts

DOMAINE RABASSE CHARAVIN ROSE PRUNE 2017 - AOP Côtes du Rhône, France (XD) - 9.5 €
Blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Counoise, and 25% Carignan. This has a medium+ intensity nose that's clean and fresh with raspberry, herbal, and garrigue aromas. Dry with nice fruity aroma replays and bright, fresh acids on the palate. Very good finish length. Score: 88 pts

Agent: N/A

DOMAINE BRUSSET JEANNE B. CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROSÉ 2017 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD) - 7.5 €
2% of production. Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. Medium-intensity nose is ripe and fruit with raspberry and strawberry aromas. It's medium+ bodied with a plush mouthfeel, some structure, and pleasing aroma replays plus some herbally character. There's fresh acids and a fine mineral mid-palate. Very good finish length with some chalky mineral texture. Score: 88+ pts

DOMAINE BRUSSET L'ESPRIT DE PAPET CAIRANNE 2016 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD) - 18 €
Meaning "spirit of grandfather", this is a blend of 40% Viognier, 40% Roussanne, 10% Clairette, and 10% Grenache Blanc was raised in oak for 18 months. Wood-influenced aromas plus baked apple, spice, herbs, and butter. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with a fine seam of acidity and touches of floral and lemon oil flavours joining the aroma profile. Creamy mid-palate and very good finish length. Score: 90+ pts

Agent: Rogers & Company (ON)

PIERRE AMADIEU CÔTES DU RHÔNE ROULEPIERRE 2017 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD) - $19.95 CAD
This 75/25 Clairette and Grenache Blanc blend has a medium intensity nose that is all mineral, lemon and herbal aromas and flavours with a lovely saline character taking the lead on the medium+ bodied palate. Fresh, fine acids and somewhat structured. Nicely elegant with a long, clean finish. Score: 89 pts

PIERRE AMADIEU DOMAINE GRAND ROMANE CÔTES DU RHÔNE BLANC 2017 - AOP, Rhône, France (XD)
100% Clairette from vines planted in 1955, barrel-fermented and aged on the lees for 6 months, this has a subtle nose of herb, white flower and white peach. It is medium-full bodied and creamy with very nice aroma replays and juicy acids. Some woody notes arrive mid-palate and add elegance. Very good finish length. Score: 89 pts

Agent: Trilogy Wine Group (ON), Balthazard (QC)

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Rhône Wine Tour 2018 - Luberon and Ventoux (Day 1)

I had a wonderful opportunity to visit the southern Rhône Valley in May to focus on the brilliant white and rosé wines from the region. It was a 4-day trip with visits to wineries and meet with winemakers in Luberon, Ventoux, Cairanne, Costières de Nîmes, Lirac and Tavel AOCs.

After arriving at Marseille Provence Airport, we travelled about 1 hour north to Domaine des Peyre, a boutique winery and hotel in the Luberon AOC where we would be spending the night. Since Craig Pinhey and I had some time to relax while we waited for Daenna Van Mulligen to arrive before heading out for dinner, we tasted a few delicious wines while sitting and chatting on the patio, all the while observing our peaceful surroundings. We learned that some parts of this historic building were built in the 16th century. There was also a church (which was to host a wedding in a few days) that was originally built in the 9th century.

Anne Georget was our first guide for this trip, and she took us to dinner at La Bergerie, a casual-fine dining restaurant located on the hill village of Bonnieux that had an amazing view overlooking the valley below. The food was delicious, as we enjoyed some wine on the outdoor patio with truffle pizza (yes, I had truffles for the first time, and it wasn't too bad). It got a bit chilly, so we moved indoors and sat near the kitchen which had an open flame that was used for cooking meats and various other dishes, but also provided some much needed heat to warm the room. I opted for the delicious roasted chicken and capped my meal with a chocolate mousse. It was a great way to end the day, as we had a long (and busy) week ahead of us.

Our first day covered the Luberon and Ventoux AOCs. The first stop was actually not too far from the restaurant we dined at the night before. Château la Canorgue is a family-owned and -operated winery in Luberon that is led by the father-daughter team of Jean-Pierre Margan and his daughter Nathalie. The family has been producing wine at this domain for 5 generations on a fascinating site that was built upon the remains of an ancient Roman villa. Château la Canorgue takes its name from the many ancient underground aqua tunnels that cross below the vineyards - we got to see one of these amazing water channels. Nine days prior to our visit, the winery experienced a very localized, disastrous 15-minute hail storm that left nearly 30 cm of ice/snow on the ground. However, it had completely melted by the time we arrived, leaving behind severely damaged vines that Nathalie said will likely need a couple of years to recover. Approximately 80% of their crop was lost due to this freak storm.

After a brief walk among the vines, Nathalie took us inside their gravity-flow production facility that was added to their 17th century cellar which was once a silk factory at one point in its history. Château la Canorgue was the very first organic winery in the Luberon and has been producing wines using organic methods, and a few Biodynamic principles, since the 1970's. After tasting through some fine tank samples, we moved into the tasting room to try some of their latest whites and rosé wines. The domain's 40 hectares, most of which are terraced, are planted to traditional regional varietals with 25% of their production devoted to white wines, and 25% to rosés. Grapes for these wines are typically machine-harvested from 3 a.m. to 8 a.m., to keep the grapes cool and allowing for better control over the fermentation process. Vines average 40 years old, with some plots at 80 years old, and some even older at 100 years old. Tasting notes of a couple of my favourites wines tasted here and elsewhere on this day are provided below.

The second stop was Domaine de la Citadelle, a winery founded in 1990 by short-film producer Yves Rousset-Rouard when he purchased a old farmhouse with 8 ha of vines. It is located on the northern slope of Luberon, 35 km east of Avignon and the mouth of the Rhône and Durance rivers. Today, there are 50 ha of vines planted on mostly clay and limestone soils, along with some alluvial marl, griess, and gravel. Since it had been raining, we did not take a walk through the vineyards and proceeded directly to the upper level overlooking the production facility. Like the first winery, they also have a gravity-fed vinification process to gently move the wine through the various stages. It also recently became certified organic in 2016 and use horses to work the soil. 50% of their production is devoted to white (30%) and rosé (20%) wines. The three main ranges of wines in their portfolio are terroir-driven - La Châtaignier from sandy marl soils, the middle-tier Les Artèmes which come from primarily gravel and sandstone soils, and the higher-end Le Gouverneur range which come from their best terroirs and oldest vines. 2017 was a tough vintage due to a severe frost that affected nearly 15 ha of vines, followed by a very long drought with no rain for 6 months. Even with yields practically halved, the wines expressed their terroir with freshness and balance.

Lunch was at La Maison de la Truffe & du Vin, a fine-dining establishment that included truffle in each of their dishes. It was located in the Luberon mountains, in the hilltop village of Ménerbes overlooking the valley below. Considering that I had my first truffle the night before (and survived), I was less nervous about having truffles with each course. We enjoyed lunch with two wine producers, which definitely helped calm my nerves regarding the truffles.

Joining us for lunch was Winemaker Sylvain Morey from La Bastide du Claux, and Sabrina Fillod, Export Marketing Manager at Marrenon. Each winery brought four delicious wines to taste.

Sylvain Morey's roots are in Burgundy as he is a descendant of (Domaine) Albert Morey. He began La Bastide du Claux in 2002 to bring his Burgundian vision and winemaking craft to the rising Luberon AOC. Sylvain has a fragmented 15 ha vineyard that offers a rich combination of soils, climates and exposures, and tries to highlight its characteristics. Approximately one-third of all wines produced in Luberon are rosés. One of the interesting points that Sylvain mentioned was the fact that even though Luberon is part of the historical region of Provence, with similar terroir, they are not part of Provence AOC and, thus, cannot put "Provence" on the label. Given that rosé wines from Provence carry some weight and prestige, wineries in Luberon are at a somewhat disadvantage. Perhaps one day we will see the rules changed, but in the meantime we shall continue enjoying lovely the wines of Luberon, which are part of the Rhône AOC, and offer great value!

Marrenon is a large cooperative consisting of 7 wineries and 650 winegrowers that was created in 1965. All 4,200 hectares of vineyards are based in the heart of a Regional Natural Park which is recognized as a natural biosphere reserve by UNESCO, and spread out along the mountain ranges of Luberon and Ventoux, ranging in altitude from 150 to 500 metres. With vineyards located in the South East Rhône Valley and in Provence, 50% of their production is devoted to rosé wines and 20% to white wines. They were also the first producer to grow Vermentino (Rolle) in France. They are committed to the environment and sustainability, and all of the work is controlled and approved by Agri-Confiance Certification which, among other things, includes respecting nature and environment, fair income for the producers, and vine-to-glass traceability. There are 3 ranges of wines - Classique, Altitude, and Exclusive Single Estate wines. All of the wines we tasted during lunch were from their Single Estate line, and were delicious!

After lunch, we visited Domaine de Fondrèche, a family-owned winery that was founded by Nanou Barthelémy when she purchased the property in 1993. Her son, Sébastien Vincenti, joined the business a few years later after spending some time in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They have 38 ha of organically cultivated vineyards, 10 ha of which are dedicated to producing terroir-driven rosé wines from sandy soils and white wines from clay and limestone soils. As Sébastien took us through the wines and gave us a tour of the winery, it was obvious that he was very passionate about wine and the winemaking process. The winery was built to favour the use of gravity, including having the press sit a few metres above ground, thus allowing the juice to escape through a hole at the bottom of the press with the assistance of gravity. It is interesting to note that Sébastien does not use any sulphites during pressing. Domaine de Fondrèche produces three lines of wines, and I was most impressed with their middle-tier Persia line that come from their older vines.

The final stop of the day was at Château Pesquié, an estate winery owned by a family that is passionate about the Ventoux region and recognized its potential. Odette & René Bastide purchased the property that is located at the foot of the Ventoux Mountain in the early 1970's and became pioneers of AOC Côtes du Ventoux. Even though vines had been cultivated in this region for more than a thousand years, the AOC was only created in 1973. In the mid-1980's, their daughter Edith and her husband Paul Chaudière joined the business. In 1989, the family stopped selling their grapes to the local cooperative and formed their own cellars. In 2003, Paul and Edith's two sons, Alexandre and Frédéric, took over the Domaine and continue the family tradition of producing terrific wines that harness the outstanding Ventoux terroir. We had the pleasure of meeting Alexandre, who through three generations of winemakers in the family have always tried to be agriculturally sustainable and responsible, mentioned that they hope to be certified biodynamic in 2019. Château Pesquié has one of the coolest micro-climates in the south of the Rhône Valley, thanks to slightly higher elevations and mountain influence, while also having great mineral diversity, but predominantly limestone. They have a fabulous visitor centre with impressive displays showcasing their terroir, among other things. The wines are also tasty! Château Pesquié is definitely a place to visit if you're in the area.

The evening was capped off with a gourmet dinner and a quiet night at the lovely Château de Mazan Hotel that is housed in an 18th century mansion located in the centre of the town of Mazan, nestled at the foot of Mont Ventoux.

This post is just the first in the series. A visit to the Cairanne AOC is next on the itinerary, and reviews from my trip to the other Rhône AOCs will be posted in the coming days.

Tasting Notes:

DOMAINE DES PEYRE PAPARAZZI 2017 - AP Ventoux, Rhône, France (XD) - 11.5 €
Mostly Grenache, with Syrah, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre completing the blend. Medium+ intensity nose is fresh with herbal, garrigue, stone fruit and peach aromas. Medium-bodied palate is delicate with herbally and stone fruit flavours, and a vague impression of sweetness. Clean and balanced, some saline mid-palate. Very good finish length. Score: 87 pts

Agent: DB Wine & Spirits (ON)

CHÂTEAU LA CANORGUE LUBERON ROSÉ 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - 9.50 €
Majority Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre completing the blend. Medium+ intensity nose has herbally, raspberry, and currant aromas. Red berry flavours of raspberry, red currant and strawberry on the medium-bodied, dry palate lifted by fresh acidity. Fine, crisp finish. Score: 88 pts

CHÂTEAU LA CANORGUE LUBERON BLANC 2017 - AC, Rhône, France (XD) - 10.50 €
Co-fermented and equal parts Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, Grenache, Bourbeblanc, and Vermentino. Lovely citrus and exotic fruits with plenty of minerality on the nose and flavour profile. The medium+ bodied palate is structured and has a creamy texture with a nice mineral, mid-palate supported by fresh acids. Nicely balanced overall, dry. Floral and fruit on the long finish. Score: 90 pts

Agent: N/A

DOMAINE DE LA CITADELLE LES ATÈRMES ROSÉ 2017 - AOP Luberon, Rhône, France (XD) - 12 €
Vines located 300 m above sea level. 80% Mourvèdre. Subtle raspberry, earth, and mineral aromas. Medium-bodied with crisp acids, rounded mouthfeel and nice aroma replays in a dry style. Structured, spicy, nice clean finish. Enjoy over the next 3-4 years. Score: 88+ pts

DOMAINE DE LA CITADELLE LE CHÂTAIGNIER BLANC 2017 - AOP Luberon, Rhône, France (XD) - 8.50 €
Blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Marsanne. Subtle stony mineral and herbal aromas continue on the medium-bodied palate, joined by some lemon/lime flavours. Clean acids offer a crisp mouthfeel. Very good length on the fresh finish. Score: 88+ pts

Agent: Balthazard (QC)

BASTIDE DU CLAUX L'ODALISQUE 2016 - AOC Luberon, Rhône, France (XD)
40% Grenache Blanc blended with equal parts Vermentino and Viognier, all spending some time in oak barrels. Medium-high intensity nose with stone fruit and lemon oil notes. It's medium+ bodied on the smoky, structured palate with lemony acids and flavours. Buttery, baked apple notes linger on the long finish. Score: 89 pts

BASTIDE DU CLAUX BARRABAN 2009 - AOC Luberon, Rhône, France (XD)
40% Grenache Blanc, the rest equal parts Vermentino, Clairette, and Ugni Blanc. Pours a deep gold colour, this has medium-high intensity waxy, lanolin, floral, and herbally aromas, all which comes through nicely on the medium-bodied, dry, spicy palate. Nicely textured with balanced acidity. Drinking well now, but could age another 5-7 years. Score: 91 pts

Agent: N/A

MARRENON PETULA 2017 - AOC Luberon, Rhône, France (XD)
Syrah and Grenache Noir. Pretty raspberry, strawberry aromas are open and fragrant with fine minerality. It's medium-bodied, crisp, and clean on the subtly spicy palate with nice, balanced acids and herbally aroma replays. Long with some structure on the finish. Score: 89 pts

MARRENON GRAND MARRENON BLANC 2017 - AOC Luberon, Rhône, France (XD)
Equal parts Grenache Blanc and Vermentino, and 10% Roussanne. Elegant, medium-high intensity nose shows finesse with ripe, balanced yellow fruit, white flowers, mineral and barrel-aged oak nuances. It's light-to-medium bodied on the nicely balanced palate with pleasing aroma replays supported by vibrant acids. Clean lime and mineral notes, touch bitter on the long finish. Score: 90 pts

Agent: Von Terra (ON)

DOMAINE DE FONDRÈCHE PERSIA ROSÉ 2017 - AOP Ventoux, Rhône, France (XD) - 20 €
Half Mourvèdre, the rest equal parts Grenache and Syrah. Medium-intensity nose has herbally, spicy, currant, floral, and raspberry aromas. Juicy, fresh acids support the medium-bodied, spiced palate with curranty aroma replays. Spiced finish with very good length. Score: 88 pts

DOMAINE DE FONDRÈCHE PERSIA BLANC 2017 - AOP Ventoux, Rhône, France (XD) - 20 €
Roussanne from 30-40 year old vines, the nose is reserved with lime citrus and herbs, and hints of hay and white stone fruit. The medium-bodied palate is ripe, rounded with very good acidity. White peach, melon, and some herbal, fennel flavours. Nicely textured on the mid-palate through to the finish, with very good length. Score: 89 pts

Agent: Sens.i (QC)

CHÂTEAU PESQUIÉ TERRASSES ROSÉ 2017 - AOP Ventoux, Rhône, France (XD) - 11 €
50% Cinsault, 40% Grenache, and 10% Syrah. Shy nose has raspberry, red berry and citrus aromas. Structured, medium-bodied palate has more raspberry and citrus notes with hints of floral. Fresh, juicy acids support the crunchy fruit. Clean, lemony notes on the long finish. Score: 88 pts

CHÂTEAU PESQUIÉ QUINTESSENCE BLANC 2016 - AOC Ventoux, Rhône, France (XD) - 16 €
Blend of 80% Roussanne (barrel-fermented) and 20% Clairette, with trace amounts of Viognier, and then blended and aged in concrete tanks. Subtle aromas offer wood-influenced herbal, white peach, and hints of citrus, all which come through on the medium-bodied palate. Fresh, balanced acids provide lift. Nicely textured with crunchy fruit, and very good length on the finish. Score: 89 pts

Agent: The Vine Agency (ON), Sélections Oeno (QC)

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