WTN: Clos Bellane CdR Valreas Blanc 2015

Go out and find this wine.

Here's the gist of it:

Clos Bellane Valreas Blanc 2015 is a fat, glossy, flavor-saturated, aromatic winter white wine, perfect for these days of root vegetables and savory roasts and stews. A delightful melding of 65% Marsanne, 30% Viognier, and a savory touch of 5% Roussanne, the sum of the parts is irresistible. The wine fills the mouth; the perfume of dried apricots quite literally goes to your head, while the wine lavishes your palate with a melted buttery richness adroitly balanced and restrained with a distinct tang of salty minerality.

My personal notation on this wine is in the French, ‘tendre et sec’---which means, of course, more than a literal English translation of ‘tender and dry’ could convey. Undeniably dry---as in not-sweet---the magnificent plump fruit, butter and minerality combine to offer a densely textured, effusively aromatic, and exquisitely balanced wine.

At a surprisingly low 12.5% abv that belies its heft, and at a $17 SRP, this is an easy acquisition.
You can while away many a winter’s night basking in the warm glow of this Rhone winter white.

Hoke, you are nicely focused on a style that I enjoy seeking out. Have various dry whites from S France that merit more attention but tough to know what to drink when one has over 80 whites in the cellar!!

You laid it on a bit thick with the fat, glossy and butter rich descriptors (perhaps posting after drinking?) but I too very much appreciate this style when it is balanced by salty minerality.

The only problem is finding good examples of the style.

And, the fact that there are so many other white wines that I want to drink!

I love your TN, Hoke, but I'm not sure that I would like the wine. It all depends on the extent of that "distinct tang of salty minerality". I only got one hit on Wine Searcher for this wine in France at c.€14. I also note that it is sold in Belgium at c.€12 by Pierre Ghysens, my former mentor for Rhône wines, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of the region.

I am a tad wary about the fat, glossy and butter rich description but as I said enthusiastic about the note overall. I would cellar a while I think.

A bit thick?

Part of that description came from another person I was drinking with, by the way; so not just me that's thick.

And seriously, this is coming from a guy who doesn't like vanilla-oak overlays and full throttle malolactic. This is neither.

This is a hefty wine, but skirts the edge of too big and blowsy---in large part because of that minerality, and yes, a sort of limey-salty character.

And wasn't Rahsaan the very one who coined that magnificent descriptor "lemon salted oyster shells", invoking minerality, brininess, and stark citrus in one stroke???

Look, its a big wine...but in now way overdone. It has enough acid to hold it together and contain the fruit. Yes, it's rich---but that richness comes primarily from the fruit. Would it feel better if I said "sun-saturated" fruit rather than buttery?

Gotta call 'em as I taste 'em, guys. And buttery it was.

I suspect all three of you guys would like this wine, albeit perhaps not to the extent I do. If you're familiar with that Valreas/Vinsobres high plateau, you know it can turn out some intense, concentrated wines. This is one of them.

And look: find it, buy it, try it.

Then come back here and tell me if I'm full of it. Or not.

You three guys!!!!..I am a eeerrrr follower of both Tim and Rahsaan so company is excellent. Just wish they were butterfly fans too .

Hey, I was just teasing. It's great to communicate enthusiasm. And I'm sure I would like the wine. Will see if it ever crosses my path.