Le Retout Blanc VdF 2018, Château du Retout

Grower: Helene Soual-Kopp

Age of Vines: 11 years old

Grapes: 41.5% Gros Manseng, 40% Sauvignon Gris, 9.5% Savagnin, 9% Mondeuse Blanche

Village: Lamarque, Haut-Médoc, on the Saint-Julien border

Region: Bordeaux

Soil: White pebbles on clay and chalk with deep gravel from the Pyrenees

Production Methods: Hand-harvested and carefully sorted. Fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel. Lees ageing for 10 months in both oak barrels and amphora.

Special Features: From a single 1.8 hectare plot originally planted with Merlot, now home to a rare and eclectic blend of heritage white varieties. Gros Manseng, a variety from the Gers and the Pyrénées which is most known for producing dry and sweet Jurançon. Sauvignon Gris, which can grow in the region but quite rare elsewhere in Bordeaux area. Savagnin is responsible for ‘vins jaunes’ in the Jura, however, this grape variety can also be aged without the influence of oxidation to produce excellent, fresh, white wines. Mondeuse Blanche, is the rarest, and there are only 4 hectares of this variety in Savoie. Only 9,000 bottles.

Country: France