Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Bitter orange, chervil, cedar and dried quince zest on the nose, following through to a medium to full body with silky tannins. It’s round and velvety with a caressing texture and a satisfying finish. Roussanne, vermentino and viognier. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.
-
Wine Spectator
A clean and pure take on the skin-contact style, with an intriguing mix of chamomile, peach skin, blood orange and potpourri, plus bitter medicinal, iodine undercurrents and dried herbs. Supple and lush on the palate, with gentle tannins guiding the long, expressive finish. Roussanne, Vermentino and Viognier. Drink now through 2030. 400 cases made, 100 cases imported.
-
Wine Enthusiast
This orange wine reveals aromas of crushed peaches, pears and dried wildflowers. The skin contact shows on the complex palate with apricot, raspberry and toasted almond flavors, leading to a creamy, generous 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.
An extensive appellation producing a diverse selection of good quality and great values, Languedoc spans the Mediterranean coast from the Pyrenees mountains of Roussillon all the way to the Rhône Valley. Languedoc’s terrain is generally flat coastal plains, with a warm Mediterranean climate and frequent risk of drought.
Virtually every style of wine is made in this expansive region. Most dry wines are blends with varietal choice strongly influenced by the neighboring Rhône Valley. For reds and rosés, the primary grapes include Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault and Mourvèdre. White varieties include Grenache Blanc, Muscat, Ugni Blanc, Vermentino, Macabéo, Clairette, Piquepoul and Bourbelenc.
International varieties are also planted in large numbers here, in particular Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon.
The key region for sparkling wines here is Limoux, where Blanquette de Limoux is believed to have been the first sparkling wine made in France, even before Champagne. Crémant de Limoux is produced in a more modern style.