Winemaker Notes
Isabel and Christophe Sabon source the fruit for their Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc from a vineyard just outside the borders of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its famed lieu-dit of Le Crau. Totaling about 5 hectares, this site is sandy and planted with Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Viogner and Roussanne. It is fermented and aged entirely in French oak vats.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A beautifully done white from this estate, based on 50% Grenache, 15% Clairette, 15% Bourboulenc, and the rest Viognier and Roussanne, the 2019 Côtes Du Rhône Blanc carries a light gold color as well as a rocking bouquet of honeyed peach and stone fruits intermixed with plenty of floral and spicy notes. Medium-bodied on the palate, with good acidity, it’s another balanced, incredibly classy wine from this estate to enjoy over the coming 2-3 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Cotes du Rhone Blanc is 50% Grenache Blanc, 15% each Bourboulenc and Clairette and 10% each Roussanne and Viognier, all grown on sandy soils. Orange and lime notes dominate the nose of this plump, medium to full-bodied white, which adds hints of melon and apricot on the mid-palate, then finishes citrusy and refreshing.
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.
Typically thought of as a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, the term Côtes du Rhône actually doesn’t merely apply to the flatter outskirts of the major southern Rhône appellations, it also includes the fringes of well-respected northern Rhône appellations. White wines can be produced under the appellation name, but very little is actually made.
The region offers some of the best values in France and even some first-rate and age-worthy reds. Red wine varieties include most of the Chateâuneuf-du-Pape varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise, as well as Carignan. White grapes grown include Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Viognier, among others.