Description

Domaine la Remejeanne Les Chevrefeuilles Blanc Cotes du Rhone 2019 Importer Notes

Certified organic. Chèvrefeuille [pronounced: shev-ruh-foy] is French for honeysuckle, the perfume of which you cannot escape during springtime in the southern Rhône. The Klein family is widely respected for their supple and aromatic Côtes du Rhône rouges, and under the tutelage of Olivier Klein Domaine La Remejeanne white wines are now reaching the same heights.

The prevalence of limestone in the Sabran vineyards certainly helps in this regard, preserving freshness. The Domaine la Remejeanne Blanc Les Chèvrefeuilles 2019 is a rare example of a Clairette-dominant white with 50% Clairette, 25% Roussanne and 25% Grenache Blanc. All the fruit is drawn from the Domaine’s cooler, east-facing lime-rich soils.

The fruit was whole-bunch pressed and fermented with natural yeasts before resting on its fine lees, in concrete, for eight months before bottling. Domaine la Remejeanne Les Chevrefeuilles Blanc  is pure-fruited and delicious.

Domaine la Remejeanne Les Chevrefeuilles Blanc Cotes du Rhone 2019, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

Domaine la Remejeanne is 35 hectares of vines with some olive and fig trees. Domaine La Remejeane is a family-run estate that started in 1960. Situated in the Cotes du Rhone North East of Avignon, it is higher than most Cotes du Rhone vineyards, which means it is cooler and on limestone and sand. This gives a different impression of what Cotes du Rhone can be. The vines are hand tended and farmed organically.

Domaine la Remejeanne make multiple cuvees of Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Villages whites, roses and reds. Each one is a gorgeous expression of the site and region. Overall, Domaine la Remejeanne wines tend to be more elegant and pure than typical Cotes du Rhone,

Cotes-du-Rhone

The generic appellation of the Rhone Valley. It can produce white, rosé or red wines. They are often blends of a few of the local wines. Quality can range from very low to some that rival the best wines in the region. Knowing the good producers is the key to picking a good wine from this appellation.

Clairette

Clairette means “light one”. Clairette was once widespread in France, but higher-quality varieties replaced it. You can still find Clairette in the Rhone Valley and Languedoc.

Its low acid, high alcohol and tendency to oxidise made it popular for Sparkling wine, Vermouth and Madeira styles.

As a table wine, Clairette tends to make fresh, light wines tasting of apples, citrus and stonefruit.

Grenache Blanc

Closely related to the more famous red Grenache, Grenache blanc shares similar characteristics. It is prone to high alcohol, low acids, and high cropping. Also, like red Grenache, Grenache Blanc does better in most cases when it is blended with other grapes. Commonly in the Rhone, it is Roussanne, but there are half a dozen other native Rhone whites that can be used. Look for flavours in the citrus and herbaceous spheres.

Roussanne

One of the grapes, along with Marsanne, that adds texture, structure and sobriety to the Rhone Valley’s ostentatious Viognier. Without their flamboyant partner, the wines tend to be rich, understated but with good balance. In the right hands, there is amazing perfume and fruit to coax out.

Rhone Valley

One of the great wine regions in the world. Situated along the Rhone river in South-East France, there is a distinct divide between the Syrah dominant North where the Mistral wind cools and regulates the temperature and the hot lands in the South where Grenache is at its peak. The region produces everything from easy-going quaffers to wines that demand long-term cellaring. Whites can be outstanding such as Viognier made in Condrieu, and Rosé makes a fair impression too.

French Wine

The land that so many New World (not European) wine producers look to emulate. To generalise about French wine, I would say it is savoury, lighter-bodied wines. They are the definition of elegant, complex. There are many styles, though. And there is a French wine for every palate. They lead the world in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundy. Sparkling Wine in Champagne. Cabernet and Merlot in Bordeaux. Syrah(Shiraz) and Grenache in the Rhone Valley. Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris in Alsace. Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc in the Loire Valley. Gamay in Beaujolais.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is special. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

White Wine

It is interesting to know that you can make white wine from almost any grape. The colour comes from the skins, and if there is no contact, there is no colour. White wines tend to be delicate, perfumed, higher in acid and lower in alcohol. It seems for this and many other reasons, it is hard to make an incredibly impressive white wine. But those that have mastered the art are indeed some of the best winemakers in the world.

It is a falsehood to think that white wine does not age as well as red wine. But it is correct that white wine, as a rule, doesn’t age for as long.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.