From: Pierrevert, Provence, France
Blend: Grenache Blanc, Vermentino, Roussanne, Viognier
Taste: This off-the-beaten-path white wine from Provence’s Pierrevert is a great blend of rich, supple fruit and refreshing acidity. The nose is aromatically neutral (this neutrality lends to its superb flexibility with food on the table) with notes of citrus, hawthorn, and acacia, alongside hints of stone and orchard fruit. The palate follows with more fruit, stone fruit like fresh white peach that leads to just-ripened apricots. Zesty citrus, starfruit, an undertone of freshly cut herbs, and salinity lead on the finish. You'll dig this white wine if you enjoy high-quality white wines from the Rhône, Spain, Portugal, or Italy.
Pairing: Go for Provençal or Mediterranean classics with this lovely white wine. Bouillabaisse, Provençal potato gratin, Roasted Chicken Provençal (check out the recipe below), Ratatouille, olive tapenade, grilled chicken or pork or hearty vegetables with za’atar, socca, fried/baked/grilled seafood, clam linguine, potato and chickpeas with salt cod, and olive and caramelized onion flatbreads.
Roasted Chicken Provençal
Recipe from Steven Stolman
Adapted by Sam Sifton
About, in general. Coteaux de Pierrevert (now known as Pierrevert) is a little-known appellation of 450 ha created in 1998. The vineyards are located in the Alps of Haute Provence at between 420 and 550 meters of altitude, among the highest in France. The 62 ha of Domaine Blaque, recognized as the leading estate of the appellation and certified organic, are managed by two oenologists, Gilles Delsuc, who earned his degree in Dijon, and his wife, Laurence.
For Gilles, “La Blaque is an exceptional terroir. The micro-climate, the diversity of the soils, and the orientation of the vineyards are optimal. With almost 320 days of sun every year and a wide variation of temperature between the day and the night due to the altitude, the conditions are favorable for a well-balanced ripening of the grapes, which allows us to harvest in mid-September. The soils are clay-limestone, but with a lot of variation going from very chalky soils to heavier clay soils. The conditions are outstanding for Mediterranean viticulture.”
The vineyards are planted for the most part on southern exposed hillsides, and the yields are limited to 35-40 ha/hl. The wines profit from the Mediterranean climate for the sun and the alpine climate for cooler temperatures, which results in wines of aromatic complexity and concentration, reminiscent of certain great wines of the Rhone Valley.
