2018 La Manarine Cotes du Rhone Blanc, Rhone Valley, France   

A refreshing blend of Clairette and Bourboulenc, traditional white varieties of the southern Rhone Valley. From an organically-farmed domaine, barely 500 cases of this wine are produced annually, and less that 200 of that makes its way to the US.

The sole white wine of the estate is produced from a blend of Clairette and Bourboulenc. The grapes are fermented in temperature-controlled cement tanks and are left in contact with the fine lies for several months. Bottling takes place in early spring of the year following harvest. Domaine la Manarine was created by Gilles Gasq in April 2001. The winery and majority of his vineyards are located within the commune of Travaillan, on a splendid plateau northeast of Orange in the southern Rhone. Gilles is a talented vigneron who has honed his skills working as an assistant to Paul Jeune, the proprietor of Domaine Monpertuis in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Expanding his holdings each year, Domaine La Manarine now encompasses 33 hectares of vineyards situated largely on what is known as the “Le Plan de Dieu”. For generations, this specific terroir has been recognized as unique. Recent research has identified the particular character of the underlying soil: a deep layer consisting of more than 60% hard limestone “galets” (large smooth pebbles). The climate is typically Mediterranean: relatively hot and dry with an average rainfall of between 600 and 800 mm per year. The rains usually come in the form of thunderstorms in late August which provide the vines with the water necessary to finish the maturation process (which tends to shut down under stressful drought conditions). Grenache Noir is the main grape variety of the region. It performs particularly well on this type of soil and gives wines more elegance and aroma than is otherwise common. Gilles also has one hectare of Syrah vines which are used to supplement the Grenache in the “Les Terres Saintes” enabling it to bear the appellation: Cotes du Rhone Villages – Le Plan de Dieu.