grenache blanc

THRILLING NEW RHONE WHITE: GONNET VACQUEYRAS BLANC

There are many stories we have told before, including the one about Guillaume Gonnet. For those that haven’t run across this before, we’ll retell the story. Guillaume Gonnet is the name of one of the proprietors of Rhone estate that is called Font du Michelle. We have been big fans of this estate for a long time.

The ‘style of the house’ seems to always showcase a certain sappy sexiness to the fruit that makes them particularly engaging in the glass. The family has been in the Rhone Valley for some 400 years and settled this particular spot around 1880. Etienne Gonnet created this estate under the Font de Michelle moniker back in 1950, and it is now run by Guillaume and Bertand Gonnet.

When given the opportunity to move some additional wine through ‘appropriate channels’, Guillaume created the Guillaume Gonnet label. It has been an extremely fruitful source and we have sold a number of different selections based on the remarkable quality and value that this label has delivered. This offering diverts from our usual position thus far with the Gonnet wines as it is white wine! To take it a step further, we don’t ever remember offering a white Vacqueyras, well, ever! Vacqueyras only became its own appellation in 1990, apparently with whites as an approved portion of the mix though they only represent about 3% of the production.

Like we said, we’ve not proffered one before but this little jewel from Guillaume Gonnet definitely made an impression. The Guillaume Gonnet Vacqueyras Blanc La Sauvage 2022 is composed of 70% Grenache Blanc, 15% Viognier, 15% Clairette from 40+year-old vines situated in sand and light clay soils situated on terraces. The term ‘sauvage’ (wild) refers to the open spaces and natural garrigue that surrounds the vineyard. The grapes are destemmed and fermented entirely in stainless steel via natural yeasts. It is not put through malolactic to preserve the wine’s bright supportive acidity.

The Grenache Blanc delivers the thrust with a broad, rich, unctuous palate flashing engaging elements of pear, peach, white flowers and citrus, with some florality and honeyed tones courtesy of the Viognier with the Clairette reenforcing the underlying verve. Plump and textured, this is a terrific white with the dual ability to play with a variety of Asian dishes or provide a compelling choice to just haul off and drink. It provides the kind of profile you get with a Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc at a fraction of the price ($18.98). Simply a very tasty white.

RIDGE GRENACHE BLANC? A NEW STAR FROM A VAUNTED ‘OLD DOG’

You kind of have expectations from a producer like Ridge who has achieved great success with historic lineup of traditional California bottlings from grapes like Cabernet, Zinfandel, and Petit Sirah. Probably as a result of their constant experimentation with all kinds of ideas in their Advanced Tasting Program, they seem to have quickly mastered white Rhone varietals if this bottling is any indication.

Though this was our first look at this particular bottling, it looks like the program goes at least back to the 2018 vintage. The 2021 is a blend of 90% Grenache Blanc, 6% Roussanne and 4% Picpoul from the Adelaida Vineyard in Paso Robles (it’s right on the bottle). Fairly deep, healthy yellow color, it’s an energetic display of apricot, yellow melon, spice and floral notes.

There’s deceptive richness which the vibrant acidity keeps perfectly lifted and in line and an almost European sleekness to it’s definitely California body. We kept going back to it during the presentation to verify that it was really that good. It is! It probably isn’t unreasonable to compare it to other distinctive domestic whites like the old vine Chenin Blancs from Foxen and Chalone in that it is beautifully expressive and unique unto itself.

Another serious example of why we taste everything. A great match for white fish, shellfish, lighter handed chicken dishes and German styled pork roast. It can play all by itself as well.

A ‘PAPE’ STAR IS BORN: TASTY WHITE ‘RHONE’ BUY

As we consistently remind suppliers, the door is always open. Show us what you’ve got. Most of it you won’t hear about because it isn’t good enough, costs too much, or doesn’t fit in our program. The other day someone brought in a ‘moleculer wine’ that was ‘constructed’ from a base of medical grade grain alcohol. Intellectually fascinating but not our jam. Still, we taste.

A while ago someone brought us in a five-year-old Rhone white blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Marsanne from Kunin Winery in Santa Barbara with the tongue-in-cheek title “Pape Star Blonde” , a play on white Chateauneuf. Our thoughts going in were it’s a “five year old Cali white from a winery we know but have rarely carried.” Again, that’s why you taste. This was a shocker! Still surprisingly fresh, with an enticing interplay of pear, grain, buttered apple and spice, broad palate for a white but with the required brightness to the flavors, it makes for a delightful quaff.

We pressed on to find really good notes from a couple of serious critics. Antonio Galloni of Vinous wrote, “The 2015 Pape Star Blonde is Seth Kunin’s Rhône-style blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne. Creamy, open-knit and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2015 is absolutely delicious. The Roussanne adds lovely mid-palate oiliness in this impeccably balanced white…91 points.”

Wine Advocate’s William Kelley offered, “A blend of 67% Grenache Blanc, 22% Roussanne and 11% Marsanne, the 2015 Pape Star Blonde wafts from the glass with a youthful bouquet of crisp melon, orchard fruit, citrus rind and an exotic top note of petrol. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, creamy and textural while remaining juicy and refreshing. Its purity and balance are impressive now, but I would expect this to display even more texture and complexity after a year or two in bottle…92 points.”

On top of it all, the purveyor was offering us less than half price on this delightful, roughly $28 white. We bought all of the Kunin Pape Star Blonde 2015 they had with the intent to send out an email. As it turned out, as it was waiting in the queue, a number of people picked it off and now there isn’t enough to support a full blown offer. But we still want people to see this very cool little white, especially at the $11.98 price we are selling it for.