Mission Codename Believe in unicorns
With this one we’re looking at some truly rare wines here today folks, but this one MUST be the rarest of all…
Simple numbers…
Of all the wine made in the greater Rhône Valley, only about 2-3% of it is Châteauneuf-du-Pape in any given vintage. OF THOSE, only 7% are white… Therefore, a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape like this, in the grand scheme of Rhône wines, is one in a million!
And one made by THE Xavier Vignon at a vast discount?!
Just off the container, this is too fresh a vintage to earn the big reviews that are normally there, so we’ll compile some of the impressions from previous vintages, with Jeb Dunnuck calling it “a big wine, it stays beautifully fresh, and lively” and later adding it’s “downright exotic” and “certainly singular…”
With 70% Roussanne, 20% Clairette, and 10% Grenache Blanc making up the blend here, ‘singular’ it is in every way, from the sweet honeydew and beeswax nose to zippy blood orange, rind included, nectarine, crème brûlée, and toasted almonds on the palate, it’s uniquely refreshing, serious, and seriously fun, all at the same time. Pour this blind to shock your vino buddies… then kick back and enjoy their amazement with soft and semi-soft rind cheeses, dried fruits, and nuts. It’s NUTS!
Buy, buy, BUY is what we say! At this price, it stands alone as the exotic white of the year.
What the Winery Says
2020 'Cuvée Anonyme' Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
- Winemaker
- Xavier Vignon
- Varietals
- 70% Roussanne, 20% Clairette, 10% Grenache Blanc
- Vintages
- 2020
- Alcohol
- 14%
- Appellation
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône
- Aspect
- South to south-east
- Soils
- Large pebbles (galets) & sand
- Vine age
- 50+ years old
- Aging
- 4 months
- Barrels
- 100% French Oak