Jerome Gradassi Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2023

This is from a tiny estate of 5 hectares that was founded in 1930, this comes from six parcels located in the lieux-dits of Palastor, Bois Dauphin, and Cabriere, in Orange. This is farmed organically with no fertilizers, pesticides, or weed killers used. The Clairette is coplanted with the Grenache Blanc and Jérôme sorts it out. The harvest is done by hand, and in the cellar this is fermented with native yeasts in barrels. Malolactic fermentation is blocked, and it was further rested for ten months in stainless steel tank before bottling.

The nose is precise and taut with an aroma set of lemon, apricot, melon, and a bit of beeswax. On the palate this is just shy of moderate in weight with citrus, apricot, melon, some beeswax and a gooseberry note to end.