2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure Roussanne

The 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Pure Roussanne offers more ripe stone fruits, pineapple, orange blossom, spice, and honeyed flowers in a concentrated, powerful, vibrant style that's certainly a match for the best examples of this variety out there. Medium to full-bodied, fresh, and elegant on the palate, it brings a touch more richness and power than the Clairette release but has a similar purity and overall level of class. It's a heavenly Southern Rhône white that I wish every reader could taste! I found the 2020 reds from Raymond Usseglio to be a little lifted and difficult to read. These will hopefully come together with a year or two in bottle and justify the lofty barrel reviews. The same can’t be said about the white, however. These showed brilliantly, with the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Pure Roussanne unquestionably one of the top whites in the vintage.

Relatively brisk and nimble for a pure Roussanne, this isn't as oaked as some, which helps the fruit to shine through more clearly. It's zesty and fresh, with an edging of cinnamon sugar from the oak. Rich and long, but with great freshness and length. Well balanced, this is very good winemaking on show. Grown on galets roulés and sand in the lieux-dits of Bois Sénéchaux and Terres Blanches. 60% is aged in foudres, 40% in new barriques. Just 4,000 bottles produced.

100% Roussanne. Vinified and matured for eight months in foudres (60%) and new barriques (40%). Tasted blind. Very appealing nose of white flowers, russet apples and a saline, mineral feel. The palate has lots of texture, with good acidity and peachy freshness. Lots to enjoy and already drinking well with very good intensity and concentration – fabulous.