As I mentioned last Saturday, Jancis Robinson this week shares her White Wine Picks for Christmas and the Holidays, the second selection (first installment was reds) in a four part series.
My recent piece Vincent, Simone and Wine...Mas de la Dame 'La Gourmande' opened my eyes on white grapes (varietals) that were not on my radar such as Rolle so I could not help but notice one of Janis choices, a Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc.
This wine, Bois du Pied Redon (2006) besides the usual Rhone suspects Grenache Blanc and Roussanne uses Clairette and a grape new to me, Bourboulenc.
According to notes from Kobrand:
"Bourboulenc is an extremely old grape variety which is thought to have originated in Greece where it was known as the Asprokondoura. A late-ripening variety, it tends toward leanness and neutrality, but when picked at optimum maturity it retains high natural acidity and shows fresh citrus qualities with floral notes. On the sun-drenched, stony plateaus of the Mediterranean basin, the vine achieves a high degree of ripeness and corresponding degree of alcohol."
The only details I could find on the Bois du Pied Redon, Blanc was on Marks and Spencer wine pages.
It is described as full yet rounded with peach, apricot and orchard flavors and a spicy finish.
This is a 'naked wine' (unoaked if you prefer), organic and made from handpicked grapes. Marks & Spencer rares it as 'suitable for vegetarians'. Some of their food pairing suggestions are Roasted Chicken, Vegetable Risotto or Thai Food.
It is bottled by Ogier Caves des Papes, clocks in at 13.5% alcohol and retails in the UK for 13.99 pounds which would translate into about $30 US, a small production, I almost forgot to mention the winemaker, Didier Couturier.
A Rose she mentions, Alphonse Mellot 'Sancerre Rose' (2006), does sound worth trying.
I am not sure it if her pick is the same as the Alphonse Mellot Sancerre Rosé La Moussière 2005 reviewed by The Wine Doctor.
This Loire Valley producer traces it roots in Sancerre all the way back to the early 16th Century.
All this makes me thirsty for a little tasting, is it too early?
Related: '60 Great Value Reds' for the Holidays: the Jancis Robinson Selection
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