Winemaker Notes
Golden white with bright reflects. Complex nose that mixes aromas of white flowers and exotic fruits (pineapple) and spices (safran, curry). Ample and round. Rich and balanced in the same time, with a good freshness, saltiness, and a powerful aromatic intensity.
Gorgeous pairing with truffles (risotto) and sole fish. It pairs ideally with a chicken with cream sauce or washed rind cheese (Saint Nectaire), refined goat cheeses.
Blend: 80% Roussanne, 20% Clairette
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I loved the 2020 Ventoux Quintessence Blanc, which reminds me of top Northern Rhône white with its ripe quince, honeyed citrus, flowers, and chalky minerality. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, has good acidity, and a great finish. It's going to shine on the dinner table and, I suspect, have over a decade of overall longevity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
When I first tasted the 2020 Ventoux Quintessence Blanc in September 2021, the wine had been blended but was waiting in tank—supply-chain difficulties (ubiquitous at the time) had delayed bottling. An 80-20 blend of Roussanne and Clairette, aged in a mix of concrete and demi-muids, it offers scents of honey, pear, melon and citrus on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is nicely rounded and slightly toasty, but it also features a vibrant core and is straight, long and mouthwatering on the finish.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
Stretching across the slopes of the Ventoux mountain in the southeastern region of the Rhône River Valley, Cotes du Ventoux excels in the production of spicy and characterful red blends based on Grenache, Syrah, and other indigenous varieties. The region also produces rich and aromatic whites and rosés.