2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Clos de Beauvenir

Vineyard soil: galets, sand, clay-limestone, chalk. 8% Grenache Blanc, 32% Clairette, 58% Roussanne, 2% Bourboulenc. Gassy and really not that much in the rich spirit of white Châteauneuf. Tight and tense. Some rather simple fermentation aromas. Chewy. (JR)

The top white of the estate, and coming from the Clos de Beauvenir lieu-dit, which lies just to the south of the estate, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Clos de Beauvenir is the best vintage of this cuvee I’ve tasted. Comprised of 58% Roussanne, 32% Clairette, 8% Grenache Blanc and a splash of Bourboulenc, fermented and aged almost all in barrel (one-third new), it sports drop-dead gorgeous aromas of melon, buttered citrus, white flowers, almond paste and hints of honey to go with a full-bodied, incredibly fresh and focused profile on the palate. While this cuvee always delivers uncommon richness, it’s the purity and focus here that sets it above other vintages. Again, it will age (although typically, I think of the traditional cuvee as being more age-worthy), yet I’d still pair it up with a classy meal over the coming 3-4 years. Drink now-2018. One of the larger estates in Chateauneuf du Pape, covering over 200 acres, all of which are in the southeastern portion located around the estate, Chateau La Nerthe is owned by the Richard Family, with Christian Voeux making the wines since 2008. While the winemaking here falls firmly in the modern camp, with a plenty of small barrels utilized (and some new), the wines never seem overly oaked and always hold on to classic Southern Rhone flare. Importer: Pasternak Wine Imports, Harrison, NY; tel. (800) 946-3110

The top white of the estate, and coming from the Clos de Beauvenir lieu-dit, which lies just to the south of the estate, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Clos de Beauvenir is the best vintage of this cuvee I’ve tasted. Comprised of 58% Roussanne, 32% Clairette, 8% Grenache Blanc and a splash of Bourboulenc, fermented and aged almost all in barrel (one-third new), it sports drop-dead gorgeous aromas of melon, buttered citrus, white flowers, almond paste and hints of honey to go with a full-bodied, incredibly fresh and focused profile on the palate. While this cuvee always delivers uncommon richness, it’s the purity and focus here that sets it above other vintages. Again, it will age (although typically, I think of the traditional cuvee as being more age-worthy), yet I’d still pair it up with a classy meal over the coming 3-4 years. Drink now-2018. Oct 2013, www.robertparker.com