Maison Les Alexandrins Crozes Hermitage Blanc

Maison Les Alexandrins is the newly renamed collaboration between Nicolas Jaboulet, formerly of the eponymous winery in Tain, winemaker Guillaume Sorrel and viticulturalist Alexandre Caso. Each person brings their expertise to this micro-negociant, an extension of Domaine Les Alexandrins, established in 2015. The aim of Maison Les Alexandrins remains the same: to buy parcels of fruit from some of the top growers in each appellation in the Northern Rhone. Following the construction of a new winery in Tain-l'Hermitage in 2019, Maison and Domaine Les Alexandrins is now a permanent fixture in the Northern Rhone.

Marsanne, Roussanne

Crozes Hermitage is the biggest appellation of the Northern Rhone, measuring over 1,300 hectares. It spreads over 11 lieux-dits on the left bank of the Rhone River. The villages of Mecurol and Chanos Curson are renowned for the production of Crozes Hermitage Blanc. The grapes used in this wine come from two different sites, where the vines are on average 20 years old. The first is in 'Les Pends', a lieu dit in Mercurol. The vines are planted on granite slopes with limestone on the surface, giving finesse to the finished blend. The second site is further south, in Chanos Curson. Soils here are stony, producing fuller-bodied and more concentrated wines.

Made from 65% Marsanne and 35% Roussanne.

The bunches were pressed and the juices left to settle. Fermentation took place at a low temperature in two and three-year-old oak barrels. The wine was aged on lees for six months with 50% in old 600 litre barrels and 50% in stainless-steel tanks to add body and complexity.

This wine is pale golden yellow in colour with delicate aromas of white flowers, citrus and fennel. On the palate, notes of peach, pear and red fruits are balanced with the subtle touch of oak. On the finish, this wine is aromatic with a slight salinity.

Nolan - Text from the Spotlight On French White Wines & Their Global Influences blog

Crozes-Hermitage is the largest appellation in the Northern Rhone. Being the largest of the Northern Rhone appellations, the area has many different little microclimates so the wines can vary greatly. The grapes used in this wine come from two different sites, where the vines are on average 20 years old. The first is in 'Les Pends', a lieu dit in Mercurol. The vines are planted on granite slopes with limestone on the surface, giving finesse to the finished blend. The second site is further south, in Chanos Curson. Soils here are stony, producing fuller-bodied and more concentrated wines.

As with many whites from Crozes Hermitage, this is a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne with a 65:35% split. These two varieties compliment each other in the same way that Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon do in Bordeaux. The Marsanne brings weight and structure to the blend but can be lacking in perfume, it also has lower acidity which can be accentuated in hotter vintages. Marsanne provides an oily, unctuous texture to a wine. The Roussanne element of the blend brings some acidity along with aromatics. Roussanne gets its name from "russet", due to the reddish-brown colour the grape skins go when ripe. It these pigmented skins which give Roussanne its beguiling aromas of tea, herbs, honey and spiced apricots. Blending the flavours of Roussanne with the oily texture of Marsanne helps to draw out the palate and the finish as the wine clings to the mouth.

This Crozes Hermitage follows classic modern winemaking techniques used for white wines in the Northern Rhone. The bunches were pressed and the juices left to settle. Fermentation took place at a low temperature in two and three-year-old oak barrels. The wine was aged on lees for six months with 50% in old 600 litre barrels and 50% in stainless-steel tanks to add body and complexity.

As the blend is majority Marsanne, the wine is more delicate than expected with aromas of white flowers, citrus and fennel. On the palate, notes of peach, pear and red fruits are balanced with the subtle touch of oak. On the finish, this wine is aromatic with a slight salinity.

Hailing from the mighty Rhone river, it would be a shame not to pair this with some river fish. Salmon and soba noodles with sesame seeds, trout in a dill and mustard cream sauce, many options would work here.