Domaine Saint Prefert - Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Cuvee Speciale Vieilles Clairettes 2016 (1.5L)

Made from very old vine Clairette that was fermented and aged in demi-muids - Only bottled in magnum. - 66 cases made, 7 cases imported.

"Distinctive, with a well of grapefruit oil, lemon curd, meringue, white peach, jasmine and quinine notes all flowing in lockstep and backed by a finish that has both languid and racy aspects as this lingers." Wine Advocate

Isabel Ferrando bought the Domaine Saint Prefert and vinified for the first time in 2003. The estate is situated on the south side of the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape atop gravel and pebble soils.

Domaine Saint Prefert produces wines epitomizing the Provencal region. Herbs such as garrigue, thyme and rosemary abound. Grenache is expressed in notes of candied fruit, chocolate and roasted coffee.

Isabel Ferrando farms organically. She expanded her holdings and built a new state-of-the-art winery in 2009. Isabel's mentality is to never stop improving: "The substantial work done in the vineyards over the past eight years brings us ever closer to the level of quality that I seek. Progress is ahead of us."

Distinctive, with a well of grapefruit oil, lemon curd, meringue, white peach, jasmine and quinine notes all flowing in lockstep and backed by a finish that has both languid and racy aspects as this lingers. Only bottled in magnum. Best from 2019 through 2025. 66 cases made, 7 cases imported.

Bright straw-yellow. A powerfully scented nose evokes fresh honeydew melon, Meyer lemon, quinine and white flowers, and smoky iodine and mineral nuances build as the wine stretches out. Sappy, concentrated and incisive on the palate, offering vibrant citrus and orchard fruit flavors along with honeysuckle, sweet butter and spicy ginger flourishes. A dusty mineral element adds energizing lift and cut to a strikingly long, seamless finish that leaves behind a bright lemon pith note. - Josh Raynolds

Not yet bottled, but unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage is the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Spéciale Vieilles Clairettes Roses. Made from very old vine Clairette that was fermented and aged in demi-muids, it offers phenomenal notes of caramelized citrus, brioche, honeysuckle and white peach. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and with high acidity, it’s a much more lively, racy even, wine than the 2015 was at this stage. Forget bottles for 3-4 years and enjoy over the following two decades.