2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc

Light bright yellow. Fresh, mineral-laced orchard and pit fruit and floral aromas show excellent clarity, and honey and vanilla elements add complexity. Silky, concentrated and sharply focused on the palate, featuring emphatic mineral lift to the concentrated pear and peach nectar and nougat flavors. A toasty lees note comes up slowly with air and carries through the very long, incisive finish, which leaves behind mineral and pear skin notes. The interplay of richness and vivacity that this wine displays is quite impressive.

More traditional, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Clairette. You can taste the influence of each in the blend: orange notes from the Grenache Blanc, honeyed pineapple from the barrel-fermented Roussanne, and lime zest on the finish from the Clairette. Drink up. Oct 2017, www.robertparker.com