Domaine du Pas de l’Escalette "Les Clapas" Blanc 2024

$34.99 on 6+ (code: 6saves2)

This wine made me sit up and take note, my favorite white of the day for sure and definitely one of the best of any color. The few times I have had white Carignan and it for sure is a grape I like a lot in vinous form - Maxime Magnon makes an incredible white with a hefty dose of white Carignan in the blend.  Terret Bourret and white Grenache round it out.  This is outstanding and can easily be looked to as one of the Languedoc's best white wines.

Tasting Note: Medium lemon yellow color. A pronounced nose shows notes of ripe Meyer lemons, sweet limes, fruit and zests, plus some pineapple rind. A a good dose of minerality and salinity add verve and freshness. The palate is medium bodied, fresh med/med+ acidity, a pronounced and intense persistence is driving and leads to a long, fresh, delicious finish! Outstanding!

Variety: Grenache Blanc 40%, Carignan Blanc 40%, Grenache Gris 10%, Terret Bourret 10%

Vineyard: 50 year-old vines planted at 350 meters (1,200 feet)

Appellation: IGP Pays de l'Herault

Soil: Limestone and clay

Viticulture: certified organic FR-BIO-01 and certified Biodynamic by Biodyvin

Vinification: Cold soaking. Alcoholic fermentation in 13 hl wooden cone shaped tanks with indigenous yeast. Malolactic fermentation. Aged for 10 months more in the same tank and bottled.

Importer: Mineral-drenched. The wine is a case study in terroir. Fundamentally of a place, the kind of white that will make you look like a brilliant sommelier if presented alongside the wide middle of the American culinary spectrum. I had it with lamb, hummus, tomatoes, Moroccan carrots, trout crudo: so many diverse flavors. It was a great meal, but I left dreaming about the wine.