Bila-Haut by Michel Chapoutier Occultum Lapidem Blanc 2016
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Parker
Robert -
Dunnuck
Jeb
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Each of the varietals in the blend offers up their unique flavors to combine a refreshing and crisp wine with “high resoulution” of flavors. The Grenache gives the wine a citrus attack with hints of Lime rind while the Grenache Gris adds medium body, a roundness and hint of Melon in the mid-palate. The Macabeo supplies the crisp mineral flavors with an almost saline note in the lingering finish. It is WAY better than Sauvignon Blanc and much more unique and rare.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Even better than the Les Vignes de Bila Haut Blanc cuvee, the 2016 Côtes du Roussillon Villages Latour de France Occultum Lapidem Blanc is 90% Grenache Blanc and 10% Vermentino that’s all from schists terroirs and aged in equal parts new, once and twice used demi-muids. White peach, spiced pear, stone fruits and lots of minerality all flow to a medium-bodied, elegant, pure white that has tons of class and length. It's a step up in price, but is a serious wine.
Range: 91-93 -
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2016 Côtes du Roussillon Occultum Lapidem is a blend of 65% Grenache Blanc, 30% Grenache Gris, and the balance Vermentino. It reminds me of a dry Semillon with its caramelized citrus, lime peel, honeyed minerality, and earthy crushed rock nuances. Medium-bodied, rich, textured, and balanced, it has solid depth of fruit and richness, yet stays light on its feet and never puts a foot wrong. It’s going to shine on the dinner table over the coming couple of years.
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Domaine Bila-Haut is owned by the well known Rhone Valley Oenologist, Michel Chapoutier. The name refers to an old farm villa which was built high into the mountain slopes , among some old vineyards. The Domaine comprises 75 hectares of land cultivated under bio-dynamic farming techniques and is characterized by steep pebbly slopes rising from almost 150 meters above sea level. The soil has 3 components…Schiste, Gneiss and Clay, and the Grape varieties are Grenache, Carignan, and of course Syrah. The cool winters and very hot summers combined with little rain, and the drying Mistral breeze during the growing season is perfection for these varietals…in some respects better than in the Rhone Valley. The Domaine is located in the commune of Latour-de-France…just about as close as you can be to Spain, but still be located in France, with a great deal of history related to the Nights Templar, and the Cathar movement, hence the T in the title of the Domaine shaped like the Nights Templar Cross.The wines exhibit the distinctive pepper and spice of Syrah, but are bigger and rounder in the mouth, with great complexity coming from the Carignan and Grenache. Here is A Rhone producer getting the best out of the Terroir in Lanquedoc… a superb combination! And one of the best Wine Makers in France.