2017 Château de Montfaucon Clairette "Vin de Mme la Comtesse" Lirac Blanc

This is made from one of the oldest parcels of vines in the Rhône valley, a 0.6ha plot planted before 1870 and yielding 25lh/ha in 2017. The wine is aged for eight months in two- to five-year-old barriques, followed by a further 15 months in bottle before release. It's full-bodied, rounded and flows slowly across your palate. The aromatics are subtle and elusive however at this stage, with some honeysuckle, heather and perfumed quince. A very well balanced wine, dry and savoury on the very long, focussed finish. It's a very specific style that brings to mind more place than flavour. I may regret not marking this higher when it blossoms in 10 years time. Drinking Window 2022 - 2030 (MW) (10/2018)

A "blend" of 99% Clairette and 1% Grenache Blanc (to comply with the Lirac AOP regulations), the 2017 Lirac Blanc Vin de Mme la Comtesse is a barrel-fermented and matured wine that shows the majesty Clairette is capable of. These vines were planted prior to 1870 and are given the utmost care at every stage of the growing cycle. The grapes are handpicked and carefully sorted. After all that, the result is a medium to full-bodied wine with ample weight and flesh yet one that retains a sensation of freshness and vigor, plus plenty of length on the finish. Peaches, pears, cream and spice all mingle easily on the nose and palate, finishing with a hint of citrus. It should drink well for at least another 5-6 years. (JC) (10/2020)

Plump and round in feel, with creamed star fruit, yellow apple and white peach flavors, laced with chamomile and salted butter hints. Hard to resist. Clairette and Grenache Blanc. (JM) (12/2019)

Made from 99% Clairette with just 1% of Grenache, this is such a juicy, thirst-quenching expression of a white Rhône wine. While fermented and aged en barrique, the palate bursts of zesty pineapple and tangerine flavors before finishing on delicate whispers of sweet spice and vanilla. Best enjoyed young. (AI) (12/2020)

This exquisite vineyard was planted in the 1870s (that's not a typo). These old gnarly vines with their highly restricted yields produce some of the richest most concentrated Clairette in the entire Rhône Valley. Planted on a mix of sand, clay and pudding stones, this wine is the essence of sleek minerality. A touch of barrel fermentation adds volume and structure. The flavors resonate with ripe stone fruit flavors and white flowers, a touch of fennel pollen rounds out the finish. This reminds us of Château de Beaucastel's Châteauneuf Vieilles Vignes Blanc which sells for well over $100 a bottle. This is just as limited and just as cool for only $30. An 88-acre estate, Château de Montfaucon sits just across the Rhône River from the esteemed vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It is owned and operated by Rodolphe de Pins, a UC Davis graduate and former member of the winemaking staff at Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. Over the years, Château de Montfaucon has developed a HUGE following among both our staff and customers.