Maison Les Alexandrins Vin de France Blanc Le Cabanon - 2023

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 situated on slopes in the Ardèche, but also the plains of the Drôme near the village of Allex.

Located from high-altitude vineyards of the Ardèche, our vines benefit from cool temperatures.

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.

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. The winemaker’s cabanon is a workshop and refuge, a place in the middle of the vines where they can take a rest. Built from local materials, such as granite, stone, timber or whatever is close to hand, the cabanon is often a warm and welcoming place.

- Harvested early in the morning to preserve the freshness of the berries.
- Because Viognier has a thick skin that impedes the extraction of its aromatic palette, long pressing at low temperature is carried out.
- The must is then fermented at a low temperature (20°C) and aged in stainless steel vats to preserve its fresh and fruity character.