LE BLANC DE BLANCS

ORGANIC WINE 2018

TERROIR

AOC Côtes de Provence.
The coastal land of Château Barbeyrolles is located in the Maures hills area, on the peninsula of Saint-Tropez. All twelve hectares have shaley soils dating back to the Paleozoïc era.

GRAPES

51% Sémillon, 49% Rolle.
Average age of the vines : 35 years old.

VINTAGE

The 2018 vintage was particularly wet. After the drought of 2017, the months of March, April, May and June 2018 recorded rainfall well above seasonal norms, preventing us from entering the vineyards with trucks to ensure good protection against diseases. The total absence of mistral wind combined with heavy rains fostered a heavy pressure of mildew, which eventually led to crop losses on some plots. In addition, the hail hit the vineyard on June 24th : a historic first for our vines in Pierrefeu. Summer was slow to come but temperatures started to rise steadily from June 21st, which allowed a good ripening of the grapes. The harvest started on August 23rd and finished on September 14th.

GROWING

The vineyards are worked by hand, using natural animal fertilizers and treating the soil with sulphur and copper only from 3 generations. We do not use any chemical weed killers. Buds are trimmed and a green harvest is practice to purposefully limit yields. A part of the vineyard is plowed with horses. The area between the rows of vines is grassed over with cereals.

WINEMAKING

All grapes are harvested by hand, sorted, not de-stemmed and directly loaded into the press without crushing. The grapes are lightly pressed so as to obtain optimum delicacy and fragrance from the very heart of the grapes. Wines ferment with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless steel, gravity-fed cuves and it undergoes malolactic fermentation. Bottled at Château Barbeyrolles.

TASTING NOTES

Underneath its pale golden color with yellow-lemon hues, the nose shows a clean, fine character. The flavors are sweet, inviting, such as the ripe pear notes. Some aniseed and tarragon hints complete the harmony, bringing freshness. As the wine breathes, a citrusy feeling comes along, reminding the exotic yuzu, as well as the cedrate.

The mouthfeel is silky, the sweet perfumes are typical for the 2015 vintage. Some honey notes mix with zesty citrus, bringing up some subtle bitterness and lingering minerality on the finish. This slightly smoky, savory aftertaste could remind some volcanic terroirs, without having their lively footprint.

Enjoy it now, served with a John Dory filet, sorrel and citrus foamy sabayon. If cellared for 4-5 years on, one can taste it with some guinea fowl breast, roasted with herbs butter under the skin.

— Julia & Bruno Scavo

DOWNLOADS

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Download the technical sheet