A blend of 40% Roussanne, 30% Grenache Blanc, 20% Clairette and 10% Bourboulenc, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is a beauty! Brilliantly pure and fresh, with notions of white flowers, honeysuckle, mineral and assorted golden fruits, it flows onto the palate with medium-bodied richness, classy acidity and an impressively focused finish. I’d drink bottles over the coming couple of years, yet it will evolve gracefully well beyond that.
This larger estate covers more than 50 hectares, all in the western section of the appellation, mostly on the pebble soils of the Mont Redon plateau. Made by Marie-Odile Brunel, all four of these wines are noteworthy, and I was seriously impressed by both of the whites, which were still youthful and vibrant.