The 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape blanc, which aged 75% in tank and 25% in wood, is a blend of 47% Grenache Blanc, 21% Roussanne, 14% Bourboulenc, and 18% Clairette. It is an exotic, sensual effort revealing notes of orange marmalade intermixed with rose water, guava, and other tropical fruits. Full-bodied, lusciously pure, and relatively high in alcohol, it should be consumed over the next 2-3 years.
La Nerthe has purchased the Prieure de Montezargues in Tavel. They make only one wine, and the 2003 Tavel Rose is stunning. It is clearly not the season for drinking roses on the East Coast of the United States, but for those in warmer climates, this cuvee will evolve and drink beautifully through summer, 2005.
Importer: Clicquot Imports, New York, NY; tel. (212) 888-7575