Saint Cosme 'Les Deux Albion' Blanc

Region: Principauté d'Orange IGP, Rhône Valley, France Grape: Viognier 30% / Marsanne 20% / Picpoul 20% / Clairette 10% / Ugni Blanc 10% / Bourboulenc 7% / Saint-Côme 3% Tasting: Mango / white peach / honeysuckle / elderflower / acacia / french oak / white pepper Pairing: Ibaiama Pork Chipolatas / Carabineros prawns / Grilled langoustines / Aged Comté / Poulet Landes Producer: Château de Saint Cosme is one of the great names of Gigondas — a family estate run by Louis Barruol, the fourteenth generation to make wine on these limestone slopes. Les Deux Albions Blanc comes from a parcel planted by the estate in 2014 on the Saint-Martin limestone, conceived from the outset as a field of experimentation. Seven grapes share the blend, the harvest begins here each year, and the wine is shaped by what each variety contributes rather than by a fixed formula. Fermentation runs across three vessels — thirty per cent in demi-muids, thirty per cent in small barrels, forty per cent in tank — with ageing on lees adding texture and depth. Viognier brings the perfume and weight, Marsanne the breadth, the supporting varieties freshness and lift; together they make a white that carries the sun of the southern Rhône without losing its line. Mango and small white flowers on the nose, lifted by elder; the palate is generous but precise, the limestone showing through, finishing clean and long. ABV: 13% Vol: 75cl Allergens: Contains sulphites