About this WINE
Domaine Puech Chaud
Réné Rostaing is known the world over as the magician of Côte Rôtie; his single vineyard La Landonne being one of the most sought-after wines in the Rhône Valley.
After extensive geological enquiry, he has identified this cool enclave in the Languedoc, its location not far from Nîmes, its name referring to a specifically benevolent microclimate on the gentle slope where the vines lie.
With the white wine, Réné aspires to marry local colour and warmth to the elegant style for which he is famous. Domaine Puech Chaud Blanc is a happy alliance of the fashionable Italian grape Vermentino ( known locally as Rolle), the aromatic Viognier and the indigenous Grenache Blanc.
In Domaine Puech Chaud Rouge Syrah predominates, with 15% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache.
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
Rene’s offering form the South of France is fresh and perfumed much like his white Rhônes. The nose is generous and fleshy with stone fruit intertwined with floral perfume and a touch of talk on the finish. The palate reveals more ripe fruit with flavours of quince, green apple, bitter almond and the finish reveals a delicate salinity owed to a dash of Rolle (Vermentino) which is added to this blend of Grenache Blanc and Viognier. Ideal with a plate of prawns or a tuna salad.
Oliver Barton - Wine Buyer
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