Chateauneuf Du Pape Blanc Chante Cigale NV

Chateauneuf Du Pape Blanc, Domaine Chante Cigale, Southern Rhone, France, NV

Grapes: A blend of approximately 20% of each variety – Grenache Blanc, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, and Clairette.

It has inviting warm, spicy aromas with stone fruit character. Full-bodied and full-flavoured, the palate flavours suggest poached pears and white peaches rounded off by a long, lifted finish.

Critics' Tasting Notes (2020 vintage):

"Attractive apple and pear aroma. Supple and creamy on the palate with well-integrated oak. Maintains a minerally freshness which lingers on the finish. Really quite persistent"

17/20 points, James Lawther MW, JancisRobinson.com, December 2021

"This full-bodied yet pert, bright-fruited dry white is a blend of equal parts Clairette, Picpoul, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Grenache Blanc. It's a juicy, thirst-quenching style of Châteauenuf-du-Pape blanc, highlighting crisp white pear and grapefruit flavors with just a hint of sweet spice and anise. Ready to drink now and at peak through 2028"

93/100 points, Anna Lee C. Iijima, WINE ENTHUSIAST, November 2022

The sustainably farmed domaine of Chante Cigale is located in the heart of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroir with the typical stony soil of “galets roulés” (rolled pebbles). A large part of the vineyard is situated on the famous plateau de Cabrières, close to Château Montredon. Grapes for the white are from a 5 hectare vineyard in Travaillon. The soils of the vineyard are made up of clay and chalk covered with a layer of the pebbles, which naturally keeps yields low. The 40 years old vines are harvest by hand, with selective sorting in the winery. Fermentation is at low temperature (just 66°F) for 21 days in stainless-steel vats, followed by lees ageing for up to 6 months. There is no malolactic fermentation to maintain good acidity, assisted by early bottling to keep as much freshness and aromas as possible.

Food Match: Fuller flavoured pork or chicken dishes and rich seafood starters.