Chateau Lagrezette Le Pigeonnier White 2015
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Wine Spectator
This full-bodied white is elegant, with a perfume of heather and orange blossom hugging the peach, apricot and chamomile flavors. Mineral, custard and baking spice accents chime in on the long finish. Drink now through 2019.
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Wine Enthusiast
The wine comes from a single, high-elevation vineyard owned by Château Lagrézette. Wood aged, it smooths out the naturally creamy Viognier to give a broad generous wine. Spice and apricot fruits are balanced by green-fruit acidity. The opulent wine is just about ready to drink although it will be better from 2018.
Cultivated since the 15th century, the vineyards of the domain have been replanted and are now perfectly maintained. As early as 1980, M. Perrin replanted the ancient Pigeonnier Vineyard overlooking the Lot River. Today, these 7 acres of Malbec yield “Le Pigeonnier”, the most prestigious wine of the estate, first produced in 1997.
Established on the second and third terraces of the Lot, on silt-clay soil on gravel, with a foundation of Kimmeridgian limestone dating back more than 150 million years, the estate extends over 148 acres. Planted with Malbec (83%), Merlot (16%), and Tannat (1%) – these three grape varieties combine to give the wines of Lagrézette their character and authenticity. As the principal grape of the Lagrézette estate, Malbec expresses power and elegance – integrating licorice, aniseed and red berry aromas. Tannins are rich and cellaring potential is exceptional.
Full-figured and charmingly floral, Viognier is one of the most important white grapes of the northern Rhône where it is used both to produce single varietal wines and as an important blending grape. Look for great New World examples from California, Oregon, Washington and cooler parts of Australia. Somm Secret—Viognier plays a surprisingly important role in the red wines of Côte Rôtie in the northern Rhône. About 5% Viognier is typically co-fermented with the Syrah in order to stabilize the color, and as an added benefit, add a subtle perfume.
French wine is nearly synonymous with fine wine and all things epicurean, France has a culture of wine production and consumption that is deeply rooted in tradition. Many of the world’s most beloved grape varieties originated here, as did the concept of “terroir”—soil type, elevation, slope and mesoclimate combine to produce resulting wines that convey a sense of place. Accordingly, most French wine is labeled by geographical location, rather than grape variety. So a general understaning of which grapes correspond to which regions can be helpful in navigating all of the types of French wine. Some of the greatest wine regions in the world are here, including Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône and Champagne, but each part of the country has its own specialties and strengths.
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the king and queen of Burgundy, producing elegant French red and white wines with great acidity, the finest examples of which can age for decades. The same two grapes, along with Pinot Meunier, are used to make Champagne.
Of comparable renown is Bordeaux, focused on bold, structured red blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc including sometimes a small amount of Petit Verdot or Malbec. The primary white varieties of Bordeaux are Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
The northern Rhône Valley is responsible for single-varietal Syrah, while the south specializes in Grenache blends; Rhône's main white variety is Viognier.
Most of these grape varieties are planted throughout the country and beyond, extending their influence into other parts of Europe and New World appellations.