Backfill & Diversify Vol. 7

The Château de Crussol

I have been rash; possibly made a king size blunder. You see, I have acted on an urge and as we all know, that is not always a 24 ct idea.

Some may remember reading in my notes for our 2006 Rhône offering that I had tasted a white wine and rather liked it. My exact words were, "If I had had a rush of blood to the head I might even have tried to secure some for the offer. I'd need a rush of blood to the head, as I cannot imagine selling any without employing either threats of violence or blackmail. Shame."

The shame might be all mine if I am left with a pile of the stuff, but I really shouldn't be. That's if I can persuade Bowes Wine clients to part with a modest amount of folding stuff in exchange for a wine that many wine merchants would consider to be unsaleable: a hard task, then, but not an impossible one. It's my unwavering belief that drives me on. So here goes…

St Péray is the most southerly appellation in the northern Rhône and is 100% white. The vineyards of this shrinking region amount to 150 acres and much of the production is fizzy. There are very few people who try to make something exceptional from St Péray fruit; the only one that instantly springs to mind is this one: Alain Voge, based in Cornas.

Robert Parker said of this wine, "The brilliant 2005 St.-Peray Fleur de Crussol behaves like a grand cru Chablis. It exhibits beautiful, intense notes of citrus, crushed rocks, honeysuckle, and pure fruit." He considered it worthy of a 92% score.

Here’s the gen:

Vintage	Wine	Drink dates	Case size	Price In Bond
2005	St Péray Fleur de Crussol, Alain Voge, Northern Rhône, France Notes: A very appealing nose: a mix of citrus fruit - lemon and lime - plus lime blossom, powdered minerals and a peppery spice. There are hints of dried apple and pear slices and an aroma I noted (perhaps rashly) as witchhazel. The palate is quite backward for the time being, yet this really isn't a blockbuster. Rather its charms lie in its subtlety. Having said that, it is extraordinarily expressive of the soil from which it comes, a swathe of minerals washing across the tongue. The acidity is well hidden within the fruit and adds to the overall sense of minerality. There are herbal touches to the pear fruit. This is beautifully, subtly composed; just a lovely wine.	2010-2015	12x75cl	£216.00
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Go on! Make me a very contented unit. 

N.B. limestone hill of Crussol is topped by the ruined Château de Crussol. Wikipedia will tell you all about it here.