Rhone Valley White Wine

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Pax Venus 2007

September 14, 2010 By Shea 2 Comments

Leave it to the perfectionists to make the better examples of California Rhone Whites. Pax, a highly respected syrah producer from Northern California, was once headed by the famed wine maker Pax Mahl. Since 2007, Pax the man left Pax the winery to start his own project Wind Gap. Before this departure, however, Mr. Mahl managed to produce some of the most consistently great examples of Rhone style wines in the United States. Unfortunately, Mr. Mahl left before he could complete overseeing the 2007 vintage.

Soils, Site and Vinification

Demanding a cooler climate, the Roussanne that comprised 74% of this wine was grown in the Bennet Valley AVA in Southern Sonoma. Bennet Valley has similar soils to Sonoma Valley but is far cooler due to a “wind gap” close by that allows the marine breeze from the coast to penetrate the valley. The remaining 26% Viognier found its way from a few small vineyards in the Sonoma Coast AVA.

Lead winemaker Tyler Thomas, who blended but did not produce this vintage, blended the two grapes after they fermented separately in neutral French Oak and concrete eggs, which add roundness to the wine without the flavour influence of oak.

A Wine Taking the Middle Path

There is something about certain Rhone white varieties that, when grown poorly or in the wrong soils, epitomize cheap overly fruity white wine to me. Sometimes it can be very hard for Viognier to excel beyond its heady aromas of pear and flowers, which can often come across as overly candied or blowsy.

This wine has none of the flaws listed above, but it does have something peculiar in its flavour profile that, personally, turned me off somewhat from the wine. It failed to break the flavour mould to move from good to great. That said, this is an extremely well made wine.

The nose gave pear and honey and the Viognier characteristics dominated here. This is deeper and more fully articulated than the cheap over-cropped versions, but still lacks excitement. The wine is rich and honeyed but does not quite have the upfront delicious opulence of the Alban or the delicate and highly aromatic expression of the other Northern Rhone whites I profiled.

Instead, this wine sits somewhere in the middle and does not quite reach the heights of either. This is by no means a bad wine, but given Pax’s pedigree, I must admit my disappointment. With this being Mr. Thomas’ first vintage at Pax, perhaps we can expect a few hiccups and improvement to come. 270 cases.

Very Good
$55 at Dean & Deluca in St. Helena

Filed Under: $40-$60, Californian Wine, Rhone Valley White Wine, Rousanne, Very Good, Viognier

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Alban Vineyards ‘Alban Estate’ Viognier 2006 and 2007

September 6, 2010 By Shea 1 Comment

Passionate Obsession

Passionate obsession is the wont of both madmen and visionaries. In the case of Viognier, the opulent and sometimes magnificent grape native to the Northern Rhone, passionate obsession may have saved it from extinction.

In 1989, as the world’s Viognier plantings had dwindled to a mere 50 acres, a farmer from California decided to establish an estate in Central California’s Edna Valley focusing on Rhone varieties. These included Grenache, Syrah, Rousanne and Viognier. Almost singlehandedly doubling the world’s Viognier plantings, John Alban was also responsible for making the grape into an international force, once again. By 1997 Condrieu had 250 acres planted and Viognier’s popularity had reached a new high.

California’s Cooler Side

California’s Central Coast is often misunderstood. Most associate California with heat – but ironically it is California’s northern wine regions that see the most heat and sun. This is due to a peculiarity with the orientation of the valleys in which grapes tend to be grown: Napa and Sonoma valley sit on a north-south axis. In central California, the various valleys tend to be oriented on an east-west axis, meaning that the cool air and damp fog from the Pacific Ocean have easy access to inland vineyards.

Alban’s vineyards sit in the Edna Valley, an AVA roughly halfway between San Francisco and L.A. The Edna Valley is also one of the dampest and coolest regions in California, with summer mean temperatures hitting a mere 17-18 degrees Celsius. The dampness also makes the Valley prone to fungus – an unfortunate reality when growing the fungus-prone Viognier grape.

All the more surprising it is, then, that Alban is able to coax his vines to ripeness levels that would simply produce flabby and jammy wines in hotter regions.

A Perfect Opulence

Alban Vineyards have now attained cult status, and the wines are produced in such small quantities that it is near impossible to get them. Luckily for us in Vancouver, Marquis has a relationship with Alban and manages to bring in some of his whites for the general public, including his legendary Estate Viognier.

Tasting both the 2006 and 2007 vintages of this wine I both understand its legendary status and marvel at how the wines best even some of the great examples from Condrieu itself. Grown in the region’s marine-influenced carbonate-infused soils, these wines are about as luscious as is biologically possible for any white grape.

The 2007 poured a golden-hued liquid almost as deep yellow as a Sauternes. The aromas lift explosively out of the glass: honey, pear, candied tangerine. The lushness of the wine floods the palate like gossamer – evocative hints of honey, pear, brioche as rich and flavourful as a dessert wine but as dry and impressively balanced as a great Chardonnay. At almost 16% ABV, you would barely realize this if it weren’t for the wine’s sheer volume and weight, which is yet also effortless to consume. Astounding.

Excellent to Excellent+
$70 at Marquis Wine Cellars

The 2006 did show some signs of age, but its slightly more boozy character corresponds with its higher 16.2% ABV. Nonetheless, the wine is soft and deft – honey, pear, apricots and, as a welcome surprise, tremendous minerality. As with the 2007, this is a wine of superbly explosive flavour married with balance and length. Wildflowers dipped in ambrosia.

Excellent
$60 at Marquis Wine Cellars

Both of these wines are perfectly opulent and are simply some of the most pleasurable wines I’ve ever consumed. An utter contrast to the many insipid Viogniers being grown throughout the world and an emblem not only of what is possible in the New World, but also of how New World verve can save greatness from obscurity.

Filed Under: $60+, Californian Wine, Excellent, Rhone Valley White Wine, Viognier

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wines: Domaine de la Charbonniere 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc

September 2, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

As mentioned in my last post, Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc gets little attention. Nevertheless, these are distinct wines with their own expression of some of the famous terroirs of Chateauneuf that are quite unlike the whites of the Northern Rhone.

Galet Vineyards

Charbonniere makes their four red Chateauneuf and one white cuvee from four main vineyards: les Brusquières, la Crau, Mourre des Perdrix, and around the estate Charbonniere. These vineyards are in the north or north east and thus have clay and limestone soils (one of four broad types within CdP). The vineyards also contain the famous galets or rounded stones that sit in the vineyard soaking up and storing heat.

A Classic Vinification

From 20 year old vines Charbonniere makes their white using a blend of 40% Grenache blanc, 40% Roussanne, 20% Clairette, with the Clairette being harvested after the other two. The wine is then destemmed, crushed and vinified in 25% new oak and 75% stainless steel, with no malo-lactic fermentation. As the wine ages it sees regular battonages (lees stirring), which works well in this wine as its acidity balances the richness.

The classic approach reflects in the flavour profile, with this wine delivering good rounded flavours and structure, but little out of the ordinary or exciting.

A Wine of Itself but Lacking Punch

The nose is softly spicy with lemon and minerals that remind me very much of Chardonnay. This is more expressive than the Boursan, and the palate has better structure and length, with Chardonnay-like flavours of lemon, cream and minerals. However, it is quite a bit less distinctive than the Boursan, though more accessible and more immediately delicious.

Again, this is a well made wine but nothing particularly stands out. Everything is in its place, though I suspect the balance of the wine could be improved.

Very Good+
$55 at Marquis Wine Cellars

So What’s the Deal with CdP Blanc?

While signs are that these wines will continue to improve, right now they can’t match the range, complexity and better value offered by the white wines of the Northern Rhone. Despite this, these wines still possess enough interest and terroir to make them worth experiencing and are an important stop on a wine geek’s journey.

The remainder of this focus on Rhone whites will look at how these varieties are being treated in the New World – some of what is going on is quite surprising.

Filed Under: $40-$60, Clairette, French Wine, Grenache Blanc, Rhone Valley White Wine, Rousanne, Very Good

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Domaine Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2007

August 29, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

Chateauneuf du Pape is, of course, famous for its red wines. In Vancouver particularly CdP is often the premium wine of choice for many novice buyers and moneyed collectors. Many wine geeks, however, have moved away from many Chateauneufs, which with ever better reviews from Robert Parker and ever increasing interest from the points crowd, have increased in price significantly. Despite this trend towards prestige pricing, the white wines of Chateauneuf still sit well under the radar of most collectors, and even many wine geeks.

Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc can be made from five different grapes – Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc and Picardan. Most predominantly use Grenache Blanc, though there are a few pure Roussannes that have gained a strong reputation (Beaucastel’s most notably). Bois de Boursan makes its white from a unique blend of 35% Clairette, 35% Grenache Blanc, 15% Roussanne and 15% Bourboulenc. Most of us, including myself, have never tasted pure Clairette or Bourboulenc so it is hard to tell exactly what these add to the flavours of the blend, but Jancis Robinson explains that the grapes are used in the southern Rhone to add aroma and acidity to a wine.

The wine is unique, presenting apple ginger spice cake on the subtle and not overly expressive nose. The wine tastes best at near room temperature, and along with the above flavours, has some dry minerality in the finish. Perhaps thiswas too young when I drank it, but I found it fairly closed, even as the mid-palate had serious structure. The medium acid held the wine together well enough so it didn’t become overly rich – but this is not a sprightly or crisp white. Bois de Boursan uses barriques from Alsace and Borgogne for its wines and the old wood influence works quite well. I expect the wine will open with age, but it is not nearly as immediately delicious as the Northern Rhone whites.

Very Good+
$60 at Marquis Wine Cellars

Filed Under: $40-$60, Bourboulenc, Clairette, French Wine, Grenache Blanc, Rhone Valley White Wine, Rousanne, Very Good

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Domaine Auguste Clape St. Péray 2007

August 25, 2010 By Shea 2 Comments

From History to Obscurity

St. Péray may be the most obscure region in the entire Rhone valley. Once as famous as regions like Cornas and Condrieu, it has now dwindled to a near obscurity. Situated directly south of Cornas, St. Péray is the most southerly of all the Northern Rhone appellations, except for a small piece of the large Croze-Hermitage.

Napoleon Bonaparte once described the still wines of St. Péray as his first wine discovery – much like many wine lovers today have that moment that opens their eyes and palates to wine. But since the excitement of the 19th century for the wines of St. Péray wore off, the region has seen a continuing decline in interest. Today there are only a dozen growers and a handful of negociants, with half of the wine being made at the cooperative of Tain L’Hermitage. All the more rare it is, then, to find a wine from the caliber of a producer like Auguste Clape, who is probably the leading producer in Cornas. Accordingly, Clape’s St. Péray vineyards are just south of his Cornas vineyards and comprise a miniscule 0.23 hectares. As a result, Clape only makes 100 cases of this very rare dry white.

Youthful Terroir

Clape’s vineyards are sited on acidic soil, with quartz granite and patches of clay limestone on the lower slopes. The granite tends to produce wines that drink better young. The Marsanne, which comprises 99% of the wine (1% Roussanne), is picked mostly from 55-65 year old vines, with about 1/3 of the fruit from 15 year old vines.

There has also been a trend in St. Péray to increase the use of oak, which tends to cover over the more terroir driven aspects of the wine, which are quite delicate despite the commonly robust alcohol. Clape, on the other hand, ferments in concrete and stainless steel, and allows malo-lactic fermentation to complete naturally before bottling in April. This vinification methodology also reflects that the oaked whites need more time in bottle to come together. With Clape’s terroir favouring younger wines, it makes little sense to produce an oakier style of wine.

St. Péray – its Own Terroir

The pale colour of the wine belies its richness and its luminescent nose of pear, apple and a touch of honey nut. The palate presents tremendous minerality with deep orchard fruits. This has impeccable structure for a 14% ABV wine, and it holds the alcohol extremely well. The richness is outstanding given the complete lack of oak – and this is perhaps why the wine is so balanced. The finish is very persistent given the price point. Overall this is a distinctive terroir based wine that shows more minerals and spice versus the more honeyed and floral tones of its St. Joseph counterparts. The price I paid for the quality is astounding – it is worth four times as much.

Excellent
$17 at K&L Wine Merchants in SF.

Filed Under: $20 and under, Excellent, French Wine, Marsanne, Rhone Valley White Wine, Rousanne

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Pierre Gonon ‘Les Oliviers’ St. Joseph Blanc 2005

August 23, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

A return to elegance and complexity as I return to this spotlight – lost amongst distractions and digressions. Run by two brothers in their 30’s, Domaine Gonon is one of those dwindling producers only making one red and one white wine. With the infection of the prestige cuvee both in the southern and the northern Rhone, it is rare and exceptional to find a producer with some incredible terroir who see simplicity as the way to the heart of good wine.

A Simple Take on Terroir

As wines made in the St. Joseph appellation, some might place the Gonons’ creations into the unfortunate realm occupied by the highly cropped and poorly made wines from the regions with little terroir. This would be a mistake. The Gonons’ father was one of the first to pursue white wine seriously in the modern generation, planting his Marsanne vines in 1958. This makes the vines some of the oldest in the Northern Rhone.

These days, the white Gonon is made with 80% Marsanne from these vines and 20% Roussanne from vines planted in 1974. The vines sit above Tournon, 200 metres above on the Coteau des Oliviers – a site renowned since before the creation of the St. Joseph appellation. As for soils, you will find stones and red clay with some sanded granite.

Farming and vinification practices are thoughtful and attentive at this estate. For instance, all the vineyard work is manual and they don’t use wire training for any vines. They also select cuttings from their own rootstock to avoid importing clones. In the cellar, they use all indigenous yeast and ferment in open wooden vats.

A Perfect Balance

The brothers report that their white wine can age up to 20 years in great vintages, a rarity for whites made from Marsanne and Roussanne. I tasted it at a mere 4 years of age, but it was showing perfectly. The nose was soft and clear with minerals and stone combined with citrus zest. This is basically textbook St. Joseph Blanc – it marries suppleness and elegance with intense flavour and tremendous versatility for a low-acid wine. I would pair this with a main course, but the pear, apple, honey, nuts and caramel flavours are also lush and wonderful by themselves. Full bodied, clean, but not overly sweet, the aromatics and texture are enticing beyond addiction. This is the complete package and you could not hope for better quality from a white at this price.

Excellent
$50 at Marquis

Filed Under: $40-$60, Excellent, French Wine, Marsanne, Rhone Valley White Wine, Rousanne

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Domaine Yves Cuilleron St. Joseph Blanc ‘Le Lombard’ 2005

July 30, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

As with most wine regions in Europe, in St. Joseph there is a tension between the old and the new. At what point does a producer cease being traditional and become modern? One point of comparison might be to look at vinification practices, but who is to say when any one technique bridges the purportedly vast gap between memory and anticipation.

When History Becomes Modern

If Domain Courbis attains venerability with its history dating back to the 16th century, then Domaine Yves Couilleron must look elsewhere for like wisdom. Within itself the Domaine lives its own tradition, with its oldest syrah vines being planted in the time of Yves’ grandfather in the 1930’s and 40’s. If we see things from the vine’s perspective – the oldest vines in the world top out at around 100 years – wisdom and time acquire a different meaning. And, indeed, the Marsanne vines for this wine were planted in 1967, thus sitting comfortably amongst the most venerable of its peers.

So what makes Yves ‘modern’ in the eyes of critics? Perhaps because his partnership with Pierre Gaillard and Francois Villard in planting old vineyards and focusing on fruit has earned him and his partners the reputation of New World influenced upstarts. Gaillard, for instance, was the first in the Northern Rhone to use oak for his whites. It could also be because he carries an American style passion for inventiveness and risk – which could also be why he is shaking up the region and helping to breath new life into some underdog styles, such as this white St. Joseph.

When is a Wine Natural? And Does it Matter?

There is much talk these days of ‘natural’ wine making. For Yves, ‘natural’ must be considered in context. If, for example, he eliminated all weed killing chemicals, he would have to increase his work force and increase the price of his wines about 35%. He feels this is untenable in the current economic climate. Furthermore, while he likes to use only natural yeasts, he does find that he cannot make his white wines dry without the addition of yeast towards the end of fermentation.

The question some might ask, then, is at what point do his wines cease being ‘natural’? For Yves, on the other hand, he is simply attempting to add his touch to wines so they can best express their terroir. He believes that the 6-7 grams of residual sugar that would result in naturally fermented whites would mask the terroir of the various plots in St. Joseph from which he makes his wine.

He also cask ferments his whites, using 25% new oak, but does not stir the lees. The fermentation lasts up to four weeks, to fully maximize the sugar in the fruit, which is often picked fairly late.

A Taste of the New

The Lombard, pure Marsanne, presents itself in the glass with a deep rich golden-hued yellow. The nose provides honey, toast, apples, and a hint of quince. One simply feasts on the palate, with its honey-apple spice and lonely rocky undertones. A delicate and structured wine, the Lombard is also elegant while holding more weight on the palate than the Courbis. I suppose if the Courbis is ‘traditional’, then this is ‘modern’ St. Joseph – but the differences are all those of perspective as both wines are delicious.

Excellent
$45 at Marquis Wine Cellars

Filed Under: $40-$60, Excellent, French Wine, Marsanne, Rhone Valley White Wine

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Domaine Courbis Saint-Joseph Blanc ‘Les Royes’ 2004

July 18, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

While Viognier is known for its aromatic complexity and its rich, opulent texture, as we move from Condrieu into St. Joseph, we also see a change in grapes from Viognier to Marsanne and Roussanne, known to be more elegant and restrained, often in need of a little age. We also see a move from a very small and closely demarcated wine growing zone to a very large and broad one, with multiple terroirs. St. Joseph has been so expanded over the years that it is difficult to predict the terroir and quality of a wine based simply on the appellation. Producer is what matters in St. Joseph, and if you want quality it is essential to properly research the producer whose wine you are buying.

White wine from St. Joseph is also very rare, comprising a mere 9% of the total production of the region. Marsanne, known for depth and richness, dominates the white blends in St. Joseph, but many wines also blend in Roussanne for acidity and aromatics. While there is debate over whether Marsanne and Roussanne grow best in granite (the undisputed choice for Syrah) or limestone soils, many important producers such as J.L. Chave, Domaine Coursodon and the producer of today’s wine Domaine Courbis, think that limestone produces the best white grapes.

This wine is grown in the famous Les Royes vineyard, one of the steepest in the Northern Rhone, which holds limestone and clay soils. It sits at between 200 and 270 metres above sea level and is well sheltered from the famous Mistral wind. The vines, comprising Syrah, Marsanne and Roussanne, average around 35 years of age, but the oldest are, impressively, over 60 years old. Everything produced at Courbis is hand harvested and left on the vine as long as possible. Because Courbis is so skilled at this technique, this means the white wines have incredible balance and phenollic ripeness without going too far into the realm of opulence.

Unlike the classic white St. Joseph, the Les Royes white is made with pure Marsanne dating from 1975 and is completely fermented in new Allier oak, which in the case of this wine is a very good thing. The wine also sees batonnage (lees stirring) and full malo-lactic fermentation – but that doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the most elegant St. Josephs available. Only the best casks are used and the total production is a tiny 3000 bottles or 250 cases.

The wine itself? Well, it offers a nose of apple, spice and rock and is very soft and clean – a general hallmark of this very elegant St. Joseph. The palate adds some interesting licorice and herbal/root characteristics along with apples. This has great flavour and structure and great elegance. It might lack a little in acidity, but this wine successfully combines power and elegance and a fantastic ability to pair with food. I had it with honey/tamari glazed Salmon and the pairing was extremely successful.

As rich, dense and opulent as the wines of Condrieu are, so far the wines of St. Joseph are discrete, powerful and yet very elegant.

Very Good+ to Excellent
$50 at Marquis Wine Cellars

Filed Under: $40-$60, French Wine, Marsanne, Rhone Valley White Wine, Rousanne, Very Good

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Pierre Gaillard Condrieu 2005

July 12, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

One of the trends in Condrieu over the last few decades has been a move from a fresh steel fermented style that often saw arrested malo-lactic fermentation to a heavier oak fermented and barrel aged style with full malo. For the not so geekily inclined, this is equivalent to a move from making freshly squeezed juice to milkshakes. However, in this case the move occurred because a number of top growers realized that Viognier – the raw materials – was much better when vinified in a heavier and denser way. Some argue that the prevalence of aging in new oak has come to hide the multiple terroirs of Condrieu, but the grower/producers answer to that is a now sustained attempt to reduce the amount of new oak while maintaining a solid oak influenced backbone. It is thus on the vinification side of things that Condrieu is now coming into its own and learning how to express its terroir.

Gaillard is one of the modernist producers who really pushed to use oak. He began in 1995 with 2.5 hectares on one plot and now works four vineyard sites, most of which have granite soils. Interestingly, the southern part of Condrieu – where Gaillard grows most of his vines – overlaps with St. Joseph and so it is possible to produce both white Viognier wines labeled Condrieu and red Syrah based wines labeled St. Joseph from the same vineyard sites. However, whereas Gaillard produces 4 different St. Joseph cuvees, he only makes a single dry Condrieu, labeled simply by the region.

In the vineyards, Gaillard looks for near-overripeness in his grapes, and in the summer he strips leaves and excess vegetation so that the grapes don’t get quite that far. Lately, Gaillard has withdrawn from the use of new oak, even though he was one of the first to use it.

The wine itself is both a year older and is lighter in colour than the Villard I just reviewed. The nose is also duller and less expressive, with dill, stone, lemon and peach, though all in a more restrained manner than the Villard. Peaches, cream and dill come forward on the palate, which is not as long as the Villard but is perhaps a bit more balanced. This is ultimately a very different wine from the Villard, being more contemplative and less opulent, but also very successful with food (I paired it with a lobster, pea, lemon and white truffle risotto). I do, however, think that the Villard is superior in both structure and expressivity, perhaps providing ammunition that Viognier should be consumed young.

Very Good+
$60 at Marquis

Filed Under: $60+, French Wine, Rhone Valley White Wine, Very Good, Viognier

Spotlight on Rhone Valley White Wine: Francois Villard “Les Terrasses du Palat” Condrieu 2006

July 9, 2010 By Shea Leave a Comment

Sometimes one sibling can overshadow another, leaving it underappreciated. Oftentimes fame outweighs any appreciation of subtlety and personality. In the world of wine this is all too common an occurrence, even as the lesser known can become somewhat of a cult itself. Neither fame nor underground notoriety has christened the white wines of the Rhone Valley, and so it is even more surprising that the wines have grown in popularity over the years.

Flash back to 1971 and you would find that only about 12 hectares (30 acres) of Viognier were planted in the entire Rhone Valley, including the Condrieu sub-appellation. That’s barely enough grapes to make 2500 bottles, a mere pittance even for a single producer. By 2005, however, Condrieu expanded to 135 hectares – a far cry from 30 years prior. Part of the reason for this is the extreme steepness of the slopes, which makes planting and tending the vines not particularly cost-effective, and also the difficulty the vines have penetrating the topsoil, which, if they don’t do, relegates them to producing bloated fruit. The deepness of the vines is essential for great Viognier.

Unlike all the plantings in the new world, Condrieu is now populated with mostly old-vine pre-clone material, which for the non-geeky essentially means vines that often produce grapes with more character and depth. The other side of this were the crappy replantings in the 1980s where many producers started cropping their vines at yields far too high to produce anything of interest. As with any region, Condrieu is all about the growers and producers who do it right.

Condrieu is also the perfect example of why wine growers and makers need to treat their varities right. In the 1990’s it was common for producers to make wines in a ‘lighter and fresher’ style, much like Sauvignon Blanc. This is not the nature of Viognier, the best expressions of which are rich, dense and sensuously textured. Fermenting the wine at low temperatures became the norm and this killed the character and balance in the wines. Why go for up front zing when you can get density and an endless finish? That’s what trends can do.

Francois Villard is a new wave kind of Condrieu producer. He generally lets his grapes get to the point of a certain percentage of noble rot before vinifying and always uses oak. The Terrasses du Palate Condrieu has 20% new and 80% used oak and sees about 3-5% noble rot. These are overt wines, almost in the style of new world examples like that of John Alban from Paso Robles. The fact that Villard learned wine making on his own from books and trial and error? Well, that’s just a bonus.

The wine itself pours a lovely burnt yellow, looking much like an aged Riesling. On the nose I got apricot, honeysuckle, peach and toasted coconut. The palate is glycerous, rich and honeyed. Peach notes develop quickly, but the wine is also very long and deep in flavour. It is also elegant for such a rich wine, but in the end this is not a wine about tightness, clarity or precision. Rather, this is a wine about luscious texture, expressivity and exotic richness. And, the glycerous palate does nothing to interfere with the intense, flowered, wafting scents that speak purely of sensuous pleasure. This truly is a great wine wine and is a good indication of how excited I am about this spotlight.