Winemaker Notes
Lillet Blanc is a medium color white wine aperitif from France, made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grapes. The nose is of honey and orange and a hint of mint. While the nose may lead you to expect a sweet dessert wine, in fact Lillet Blanc leads with a taste of firm bitterness, which suddenly diminishes, leaving a lingering trace of orange, honey and herbaceousness on the palate.
*The label for this item was recently updated. Customers may receive either label featured above. Specific labels cannot be requested.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Enthusiast
The rounded bouquet features tropical fruit notes of banana and guava, smells of ripe grapes and kiwi and a subtle spiciness. The palate entry is luscious, gently fruity and keenly acidic; midpalate flavors include kiwi, white grapes, raisins, and a vegetal quality. Finish is ripe, delicately spiced, and delicious. An old favorite.
Historically a dry, herb-infused, and sometimes pleasantly bitter fine wine, today vermouth is indispensable to any modern mixologist. Typically vermouths are Italian if red and sweet and French if golden and drier in character.
French wine is nearly synonymous with fine wine and all things epicurean, France has a culture of wine production and consumption that is deeply rooted in tradition. Many of the world’s most beloved grape varieties originated here, as did the concept of “terroir”—soil type, elevation, slope and mesoclimate combine to produce resulting wines that convey a sense of place. Accordingly, most French wine is labeled by geographical location, rather than grape variety. So a general understaning of which grapes correspond to which regions can be helpful in navigating all of the types of French wine. Some of the greatest wine regions in the world are here, including Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône and Champagne, but each part of the country has its own specialties and strengths.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the king and queen of Burgundy, producing elegant French red and white wines with great acidity, the finest examples of which can age for decades. The same two grapes, along with Pinot Meunier, are used to make Champagne.
Of comparable renown is Bordeaux, focused on bold, structured red blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc including sometimes a small amount of Petit Verdot or Malbec. The primary white varieties of Bordeaux are Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
The northern Rhône Valley is responsible for single-varietal Syrah, while the south specializes in Grenache blends; Rhône's main white variety is Viognier.
Most of these grape varieties are planted throughout the country and beyond, extending their influence into other parts of Europe and New World appellations.