2011 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, Magis, Rotem & Mounir Saouma
Critics reviews
Jeb Dunnuck - 31/10/2014
About this WINE
Rotem and Mounir Saouma
Southern Rhône Blend
The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.
The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.
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Description
Now in bottle, the 2011 Chteauneuf du Pape Blanc Magis (75% Grenache Blanc, 10% Clairette, 10% Roussanne and 5% Bourboulenc) is another fabulous white from this estate. Light gold in color, it gives up knockout aromas and flavors of white currants and assorted stone fruit, crushed rock like minerality, brioche, vanilla cream and white flowers. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, rich and layered effort that has impressive concentration, integrated acidity and a pure, seamless, elegant style that allows it to drink beautifully today, as well as evolve gracefully for over a decade.
Jeb Dunnuck - 31/10/2014
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