Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
2022
A touch of reduction brings to mind fresh rhubarb, then a soft palate that's so silky and appealing. Just the loveliest texture imaginable, a wine of great textural interest and detail. It finishes neat, long and dry. Partly fermented in stainless steel, partly in old barriques, left on lees with some battonage. Also contains 20% Grenache Blanc and a few drops of other local varieties.
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Based on 30% Clairette, 25% Bourboulenc, 22% Roussanne, 20% Grenache Blanc, and the rest Picardan and Picpoul Blanc, the 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc was vinified and aged six months in 80% in stainless steel and 20% in older barrels. Ripe citrus, quince, and stone fruits intermixed with subtle floral and mineral notes define the aromatics. It's incredibly clean, pure, and focused on the palate, with bright acidity and a brilliant sense of precision that plays in the mid-weight, moderately concentrated style of the vintage. With just under 500 cases produced, this impeccably made white will have 10-15 years of longevity.
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A beautifully alluring white, with acacia flower perfume followed by slightly honeyed citrus and yellow apple. Shows a savory bed of crushed flint that grounds the palate, filled out with fleur de sel and shortbread notes. Brimming with energy, this is well-balanced through the medium-to-long finish, which is flecked with grapefruit pith and smoke. Grenache Blanc, Clairette Blanche, Grenache Gris, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul de Pinet, Picardan and Clairette Rose. Drink now through 2032.
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Always terrific, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is no exception, and readers who love vibrant, age-worthy Rhône whites can safely buy this cuvée in just about every vintage. Based on 30% Clairette, 20% Grenache Blanc, 25% Bourboulenc, 22% Roussanne, and splashes of Picardan and Picpoul Blanc, the 2023 reveals a medium gold hue as well as textbook aromatics of pear and orchard fruits intermixed with honeyed flowers, chalky minerality, and subtle green almond nuances. This balanced, medium-bodied, vibrant white is very much in the fresh, focused, yet still textured, approachable style of the vintage.
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Looking first at the classic 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc, it has a medium gold hue as well as terrific orange blossom, stone fruit, and honeyed flower-like aromas and flavors. It's medium-bodied, has a layered, textured mouthfeel, nicely integrated acidity, and a crisp, mineral-laced style on the finish. It's a terrific white for enjoying over the coming 3-5 years or so. As normal, this Cuvée is mostly Roussanne, Clairette, and Grenache Blanc, but includes plenty of other varieties, aged mostly in stainless steel, with a tiny 3% in new barrels.
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