'96 Font de Michelle CdP "Blanc de Blancs"

Emery Davis wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@address.com:

Look to the white grapes in the magic 13

About 5% of the grapes of the region are destined for white wines (the most usual blends being of Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc and Clairette), and these have been of increasing interest and quality, some meant for early consumption and others which are capable of aging for 8 - 10 years.

from

First, the grapes. Grenache blanc would be main variety, a quite aromatic white grape that I am getting to like more and more, the new generation of winemakers is getting splendid results out of this grape, and C9dP in particular, my personal favourite is Domaine de la Janasse. I can understand you thinking Viognier, your nose correctly detected an aromatic grape variety, but I think there would be none in C9dP.

About the "blanc de blancs" labelling, it gets me quite riled up, because 99.99 % of still wines are blanc de blancs, and labelling it so is just a marketing ploy to make the average consumer think he is getting something different than other whites. When I see this, I immediately become suspicious. Here in Bandol, Domaine Ott does the same thing, and what is Ott's wine? Overpriced not very interesting wine with goood marketing. I am surprised to find Font de Michelle resorting to this, because they seem te be making good wine, and with the attention enjoyed by C9dP recently, they don't need any more marketing.

Mike

] Emery Davis wrote in ] news: snipped-for-privacy@address.com: ] ][] ] > I am uncertain as to what the encepagement would be. Don't recall ] > seeing the etiquette "blanc de blancs" in CdP before. I certainly ] > would have thought Clairette + ?. Viognier is not authorized in CdP ] > Blanc, is it? ] > ] > -E ] > ] ] Look to the white grapes in the magic 13 ] ] About 5% of the grapes of the region are destined for white wines (the ] most usual blends being of Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc and Clairette), ] and these have been of increasing interest and quality, some meant for ] early consumption and others which are capable of aging for 8 - 10 ] years. ] ] from

Hi Josh,

Ah the ever useful Strat's place. Interesting page. I shudder at both the ratings and the US prices. Thanks though.

Generally the Gonnet Bro's make a white that gains a lot of complexity with age. Although they are nice young, it seems kind of a waste to not put them away. But yes, there are certainly some CdP whites that aren't very good at aging.

I really should have guessed Grenache Blanc (had the 13 memorized many years ago, long since forgotten ;) ), but this really had such a large clairette component it chased it from me.

-E

] About the "blanc de blancs" labelling, it gets me quite riled up, ] because 99.99 % of still wines are blanc de blancs, and labelling it ] so is just a marketing ploy to make the average consumer think he is ] getting something different than other whites. When I see this, I ] immediately become suspicious. Here in Bandol, Domaine Ott does the ] same thing, and what is Ott's wine? Overpriced not very interesting ] wine with goood marketing. I am surprised to find Font de Michelle ] resorting to this, because they seem te be making good wine, and with ] the attention enjoyed by C9dP recently, they don't need any more ] marketing.

Yeah, I know what you mean. In all fairness it was in tiny letters hidden at the bottom of the label. I hadn't even noticed it when I opened the carton (well, the carton dissolved when I tried to pick it up) and scanned for what exactly it was, but someone else pointed it out.

I don't think the Gonnet's have the recognition they deserve in the states, which is what drives the prices up. And of course when this was made I assume it was before the big CdP price explosion. As I understand it their principle export market has always been benelux.

Glad to hear you say good things about Font de M., even though they are perhaps less "slow" than you would like... :)

-E

Emery, Interesting notes. I have yet to try aging any white CdPs much, but will have to give selected bottles the treatment. You are correct that Viognier isn't allowed, but Roussanne is (no Marsanne, however) in addition to the grapes already mentioned.

Mark Lipton

White Zin.

M.

Salut/Hi Michael Pronay,

le/on 9 Jan 2004 07:57:54 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

Quite right. And I can't even wriggle by saying that I'd said "white wine", because I hadn't.