Provence , Château Clarettes, Grande Cuvée, Aop Côtes-de-provence, Blanc
Provence , Château Clarettes, Grande Cuvée, Aop Côtes-de-provence, Blanc
Château Clarettes is a long-standing anchor on the Arcs-sur-Argens terroir and has reborn from its ashes like Phoenix in recent years. It’s undergoing a complete renovation — with even more improvements to come — made possible by the will of wine enthusiasts Seligsons from Finland, who took over this vineyard in 2012. This historic estate is taking a page from nearby Bandol, utilizing a high proportion of Mourvèdre in its rosés.
Presentation
The Seligsons are like vine whisperers, giving the soil some serious TLC and guarding the plants like they're precious gems. Their master plan? To whip up some top-notch, perfectly poised wines. They sneak out to harvest the grapes at the ungodly hours of 4 to 9 am – because, apparently, grapes are like vampires, they don't like too much sun. This early-bird strategy helps keep the grape juice from getting all huffy and oxidized, resulting in the Château's namesake cuvée that's worth setting an alarm for!
Vinification
Snagged just as the sun peeks over the horizon, our grapes (handpicked from select plots) are caught off-guard. The Seligsons coax them from their stems with a gentle nudge and a light squish, all under the refreshing cloak of dawn to dodge the dreaded oxidation. This blend has a unique twist: half of it finished fermenting in barrels, and a third of those were brand spanking new. It then lounged on lees for a leisurely 10 months, soaking up all that rich, complex goodness.
Varietals
Rolle: 60
Clairette: 40
Specifications
Alcohol content: 12,5% vol.
GM: No.
Allergenes: Contains sulphites. Does not contain egg or egg products. Does not contain milk or milk-based products.
