Cotes du Rhone Blanc, Domaine de la Becassonne

Enticing aromas of white blossom are followed by a fresh citrus and vanilla flavour through to a spicy finish.

Producer Note

André Brunel's family first settled in Châteauneuf du Pape in the 18th century. They own 22 hectares in Châteauneuf du Pape and 40 hectares in the Côtes du Rhône. André Brunel’s skills have earned him worldwide recognition for the intensity and concentration of his wines, combining modern technical expertise with the traditional power of the region. His son Fabrice has now joined the company to continue the family tradition.

Vintage

A wet winter was followed by a mild spring, which maintained the soil’s water reserves. The summer was very hot and dry which allowed the grapes to mature gradually, resulting in expressive aromatics and wonderful fruit concentration in the wines.

Vineyard

The Bécassonne cuvée comes from a unique plot, particularly suited for the production of white wine. It is situated on a hill exposed to the gentle rising sun but protected from the strong setting sun by a pine forest, which allows the grapes to ripen fully and imparts a floral and exotic character to this wine, while preserving a real freshness. The soil is a clay earth on calcareous subsoil. The vines have an average age of 40 years and yield 40 hectolitres per hectare. The grapes are harvested manually, when they have reached the optimum maturity for the variety.

Winemaking

Each grape variety was fermented separately in concrete vats at controlled temperatures of 18°C and lasted between 15 to 20 days. The different cuvées were blended together and the wine spent six months maturing in concrete vats.

Tasting Note 

A classic Rhône blend, this cuvée is characterised by floral hints and exotic fruits. The creamy, rich and full flavoured palate shows enticing aromas of dried apricots, spicy, mineral notes balanced by a crisp, fresh finish.

Grape

Roussanne 50%, Grenache Blanc 35%, Clairette 15%