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2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc “Clos la Roquète”
Frédéric & Daniel Brunier
White wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape don’t have much of a reputation as a summer wine. I’ve never seen anyone with a bottle at the beach, or dropping ice cubes into a glass on a sunny terrace. It’s true they can often be quite rich, needing something equally rich and hearty for accompaniment. Thankfully, there are exceptions to every rule, and this is one. Roquète has a creamy, toasty side, balanced out with loads of citrus, minerality, and its signature anise-seed finish. That means you can really go glass after glass, be it beach, terrace (hold the ice cubes, though), sunshine, wherever…and you’ll always find yourself reaching for more.
—Chris Santini
| Wine Type: | white |
| Vintage: | 2024 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | 35% Clairette, 35% Roussanne, 30% Grenache Blanc |
| Appellation: | Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Southern Rhône |
| Producer: | Famille Brunier |
| Winemaker: | Frédéric & Daniel Brunier |
| Vineyard: | Planted in 1987, 3 ha |
| Soil: | Sand on red clay and galets roulés |
| Aging: | Wine ages in cuve and in barrel for 8 months before bottling |
| Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
| Alcohol: | 13.5% |
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About The Producer
Famille Brunier
Vignobles Brunier embodies the ensemble of the holdings by the Brunier family. Brothers Frédéric and Daniel are the fourth generation of their family to farm the land of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They have worked hard to solidify the legacy left by their father, Henri, and their great-grandfather, Hippolyte. In 1986, the family complemented their portfolio, offering more affordable cuvées that showcase the diversity of terroirs within their holdings. The “Pigeoulet” and “Mégaphone” are fresh, rich in fruit and easy to appreciate young. The red Châteauneuf “Piedlong”, sourced from the Piélong lieu-dit, is a profoundly mineral wine that balances elegance and purity with the muscle that is found in this great appellation.
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Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch