2011 Cotes du Rhone Pontcin
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Tasting notes
Light yellow. Fresh nectarine and orange on the nose and palate; ginger and vanilla elements build as the wine opens up. Sappy and smooth in texture, lifted by a core of juicy acidity. Shows good clarity on the finish, which leaves orange zest and honey notes behind.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The second wine of the estate and 100% Viognier (it's all from Château Grillet estate vineyards), the 2011 Cotes du Rhone Blanc will compete with most estate's top Condrieu. Offering classic Château Grillet notes of caramelized peach, tangerine and white flowers, it's pure, elegant, medium plus-bodied and beautifully pure. Given how fresh and youthful it's showing now, I'm sure it will still be beautiful in another five or more years as well. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2021.
Second wine of Ch Grillet. Salty and smooth with real Viognier appeal. Not intense but very well mannered. 300 cases made. Pretty smart and sleek. (JR)
They may fine it a bit more, or may bottle in January 2013. This wine, made from vines on the fringes of the estate, didn’t strike me as especially distinctive. It seemed a bit ordinary and tight. (JR)