Maison Les Alexandrins Viognier - 2023
Description
A partnership between two winegrowers from the Rhône Valley – Nicolas Jaboulet and Alexandre Caso – Maison les Alexandrins produces northern wines in a style at once contemporary and timeless, always from exceptional vineyards unearthed by Alexandre Caso, a specialist in the terroirs of the northern Rhône Valley. Classics with a twist, these wines and how they are aged and blended are guided by the quest for perfect harmony from a very young age. The wine comes from high-altitude vineyards, mainly located on the slopes in the Ardèche. he wine comes from high-altitude vineyards, mainly located on the slopes in the Ardèche and few parcels in the Bréseyme area.
Terroir
Located from high-altitude vineyards of the Ardèche, our vines benefit from cool temperatures.
The vintage
2023 was a year full of contrasts, which required great composure and experience to deal with the climatic hazards. The winter was mild followed by a wet spring then a summer oscillating between hailstorms and drought, before a complicated harvest period, between August 17 and September 20. A permanent risk of rain and unpredictable weather forecasts required us to constantly adapt our plans in order to harvest our grapes, of good quality and well concentrated in sugars, at their optimal phenolic maturity. At the end of the harvest, the meticulous work was more than rewarded: this very unusual vintage proved to be very promising, perfectly well balanced across all quality indicators. In the cellar, we are pleasantly surprised by the freshness of the whites. The terroirs resisted drought and offer magnificent balance. Low temperature fermentations helped preserve the aromatics. The reds required long macerations in order to extract all the essence of the vintage. The wines from the lowlands are crisp and delicate, the wines from the hills stand out for their density and the radiance brought by the granite. The aging period has now started, the wines will improve and the textures will slowly become more complex in the cellar.
Location
The birthplace of the Viognier grape variety is located in Condrieu and on the slopes of neighbouring villages. Until recently, this variety was only grown here. Legend has it that the original provenance of Viognier is the Dalmatian coast and the variety was brought to France by the Roman Emperor Probus. However, while it takes its name from the Celtic word vidu (wood), found in the Savoyard place name Vions, a 2004 DNA analysis revealed its Alpine origins. A Piedmont variety, Freisa, is a close relation.
Process
Here the aim is to preserve the wine’s freshness and aromatic palette:
- Fermented and aged in stainless steel vats at low temperature.
- Bottled early, in spring.
Varietal
Viognier : 100%
Specifications
Tasting
Pretty pale-yellow colour with subtle green reflections. Very precise, the nose is spicy and intense, revealing a superb aromatic bouquet typical of Viognier with notes of citrus, apricots and exotic fruit, emphasised by the freshness of the terroir. On the palate, this vintage presents a remarkable balance between freshness and liveliness, and a long, very aromatic finish reinforced by a beautiful, particularly sapid acidity which gives it great elegance.
Food pairings
This wine is perfect as an aperitif with seafood canapés.
Serving
Serve chilled at 12°C. Drink young, from 2 years old.