Winemaker Notes
This white wine stands out from other Châteauneuf du Pape by its freshness and smoothness. From a sunny terroir in the Saint Prefert district, it reproduces all the minerality of a granitic soil gently worked and harvested without excess. Very well balanced, it shows a concern for balance and energy. A juicy and salivating attack, a salty mid-palate, a long and acidic finish. The nose of acacia and lime blossom opens onto a floral palate of jasmine and rosehip and pulpy fruit, pears and yellow peaches. The organic and biodynamic management allows us to achieve the right level of maturity without excessive alcohol and with remarkable natural acidity.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This remarkable white Chateauneuf combines the generosity and textural complexity that we expect from this category with a bright mineral acidity to create a great harmony. A wealth of candied fruit aromas, particularly citrus, but also apricots and pineapple right through the stony and salty finish that doesn’t want to stop. Just a hint of toasted baguette.
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Jeb Dunnuck
I was blown away by the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc, which showed even better than last year. Possessing a kiss of Grand Cru Burgundy-like reduction as well as incredible aromatics of ripe stone fruits, pineapple, white flowers, and toasted bread, it's medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, awesome precision and focus, and a gorgeous finish that has a liqueur of rocks-like minerality.
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Wine Spectator
A very fresh, clean style, with white peach, creamed pear, star fruit and lime curd humming along with dried herbs, heather and a lot of wet stone. The intensity builds with mineral energy, notes of fleur de sel and succulent acidity driving the drawn-out, voluptuous finish, marked by shortbread and smoke. Clairette and Roussanne.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of Roussanne and Clairette, Ferrando's 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is a medium-bodied white, weighing in at just 13.5% alcohol. Picked on the early side (August 17 for the Roussanne, September 17 for the Clairette), it's even a bit vegetal, with hints of lima bean or pea pod, plus hints of white peach and tangerine. Zesty, crisp and refreshing, it should be consumed on the young side.
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.
Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.
According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.
Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.
The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.