Clos des Centenaries Art Bouteille Blanc (Organic) 2020 - Southern Rhône, France

Organic

Winemaker "Gourmet nose combining aromas of pear with honey, fruits from the orchard, white flowers but also toasted buttered bread. On the palate, smoothness and a light finish."

Roussane 90%, Marsanne 7%, White Greneche 3%

Hachette Wine Guide - Award Winning Wine - " ...aging in a Burgundian room for this predominantly roussanne wine (90%). The nose reminds us of it with its intensity of vanilla notes on a background of peach and apricot. The oak just as generously coats the mouth and without heaviness".

Clos des Centenaires was founded Luc Baudet of Chateau Mas-Neuf fame, and Californian wine industry veteran, Jack Edwards who both share a passion for artisan wines and the terroir of France’s Southern Rhone.

Clos des Centenaires is a historic vineyard situated in Costieres de Nimes, close to the Mediterranean Sea. The vineyard boasts 70-year-old Grenache vines which are deeply rooted in the pebble stones overlooking the picturesque lakes of Petite Camargue. The vineyard also features Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, and Cinsault, and is known for producing unique, high-end, elegant wines of excellent value.

The vineyard soils are cultivated amongst natural grassland using shallow tillage methods and special attention is paid to the revitalization of vines (using annually prepared biodynamic compost). Inputs are limited to organically approved natural products.

Costieres de Nimes is the most southerly appellation of the Rhone wine region in southeastern France. The wines of the area are reputed to have been consumed by the Ancient Greeks and thus figure among the oldest known wines in the world. The Costieres de Nimes AOC covers an area between the towns of Nimes and Arles.

The Rhone Valley is one of France's key wine regions, and is divided neatly by a gap of about 25 miles (40km). Wines from the northern part of the valley tend to be Syrah-dominant (Hermitage and Cote Rotie being the most notable examples), while wines from the southern Rhone are more commonly blends, with Grenache playing a more dominant role. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous example of a southern Rhone blend, but similar blends are found in wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras and the regional Cotes du Rhone title.

Marsanne is the most popular white wine grape planted in the Northern Rhone wine region. In Hermitage, where the fruit reaches its best expression, it is usually blended with Roussanne and Clairette. The fruit is also grown in Australia, Spain, Switzerland and America.
Marsanne adds depth and rich textures to the wine. Through blending, the grape helps produce rich, deeply colored wines with flavors and scents of roasted nuts, pears, white peaches, honeydew melon, spice and flowers. With age, Marsanne based wines deepen in color and complexity. Wines produced from Marsanne are quite rich and can even develop a silky, exotic, oily texture.

Roussanne is a late-ripening variety that produces powerful white wines that offer pungent perfume featuring scents of fresh flowers, peaches, herbs, pears, spice, roasted nuts, and hints of pepper. Wines produced from Roussanne are quite rich and can even develop a silky, exotic, oily texture. Roussanne blended with Marsanne is the perfect pairing. Marsanne adds the fat, richness, oily textures, and sweetness to the wines, while Roussanne brings more acidity, elegance, and aromatic complexities to the wine.