Winemaker Notes
Intensely perfumed and vibrant nose of citrus, flowers and an almost salty note. Intensity of flavors and structure, with a beautifully balanced freshness.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
From vines around the estate, just north of Orange, the 2017 Côtes du Rhône Inopia Blanc is a mix of Roussanne, Marsanne, Clairette, and Bourboulenc. It's a sensational Côtes du Rhône Blanc that offers up loads of minerality as well as orchard fruits, brioche, toasted almonds, and white flower aromas and flavors. This Burgundian styled beauty has beautiful depth, vibrant acidity, and a great finish.
Barrel Sample: 91-93 -
Wine Spectator
A lush and showy white, featuring creamed pear, fig and melon flavors, laced with white ginger and chamomile notes. A subtle quinine echo through the finish keeps this honest. Impressive and outsized for this modest appellation. Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Bourboulenc, Clairette and Viognier. Drink now through 2022. 150 cases imported.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Layers of honeyed citrus and toasted nuts unfold on the nose of the 2017 Cotes du Rhone Villages Inopia Blanc. Mainly Grenache Blanc, but with a decent amount of other Southern Rhône varieties, it's a rich, full-bodied white that retains a sense of balance and lingers a long time on the finish. Drink this decadent wine over the next year or two.
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 appellation full of some of the most delightful and particularly charming reds, Côtes du Rhône Villages includes the best villages of the greater Côtes du Rhône appellation. The possibility for an appellation promotion exists for every named village but each has to achieve and prove superior quality before an upgrade will be granted. The main ones today are Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise, Vinsobres, Rasteau and Cairanne.
The Gigondas appellation, while sometimes producing wines with a touch of rusticity, can often rival Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Its elevations are higher and soils richer in limestone. Vacqueyras reds are more concentrated than the more general Côtes du Rhône reds and must be at least one half comprised of Grenache by law. Beaumes de Venise also includes some excellent higher elevation spots for making snappy, fruity and spicy reds but historically the appellation’s esteem came from its fragrant, sweet and golden Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise.