Mas Champart Saint-Chinian Blanc 2021
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James
Suckling
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James Suckling
A floral and herbal nose with citrus zest, grilled herbs, dried spices and white flowers. Medium body with a succulent core of almonds, flowers and stone fruits. Well-balanced with a lively finish.
Isabelle and Mathieu Champart were relatively new to winegrowing when they took over Domaine Bramefan in Saint-Chinian in 1976. For nearly 12 years they sold their grapes to the local cooperative. They waited until 1988 to bottle under their own label, but won almost instant acclaim. Mathieu tends to the vines, and Isabelle makes the wines. While the domaine started from just a humble, stone farmhouse, they’ve added a winery and expanded holdings from 8 to 25 hectares. Though the wines are easy to appreciate now for their inky complexity, they age extremely well.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
Between Faugères and Minervois in the Languedoc region of France, this picturesque, mountainous region produces expressive red Rhône Blends. With scant rainfall and poor soil, the vines put their best energy into the fruit, resulting in these intense, characterful reds for which the region is famous. Featuring the Rhône varieties of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, blended with Carignan and Cinsault, they are full-bodied yet fresh, with briary grip and an herbal savor which, laid atop cherry, berry and plum fruit, make them a fabulous pair for all grilled food.
With distinct soil types, elevations, and exposures, St-Chinian is an ancient, varied region in the midst of defining its terroirs. Two sub-appellations, St-Chinian-Berlou and St-Chinian-Roquebrun, were established in 2005, to recognize the excellence and uniqueness of their wines. Whites (blends of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Rolle (Vermentino)) and rosés (Mourvèdre ) currently comprise only 11% of St-Chinian production, but should not be overlooked as they show a delicious collision of floral stone fruit with flinty, saline minerality.