This white wine is made by Christian and Caroline Gourjon from organic vineyards nestled in a nature zone designated to protect the little bustard (illustrated on the label). It is named for their daughter, Héloïse, who, like the wine, exudes joie de vivre and cheerfulness. The blend of Rousanne and Grenache Blanc fully express the unique terroir.
Costieres-de-Nimes is a great area of the Rhone Valley which is often overlooked in favour of the better known Cotes-du-Rhone appellation. Well, that's all the better for those of us looking for really great value.
In the glass the colour is straw yellow with glints of green. On the nose are aromas of honeysuckle and lemon. The palate is fulll, fresh and mineral. The finsh is long with touches of stone fruits.
Pair this with an avocado and prawn salad, or barbequed sardines.
The Rhône Valley has been a hub of wine culture since ancient times. Viticulture arrived with the Greeks in the 4th century BC. But it was the Romans who really established the vineyards and reputation of the area using the Rhône as their highway through France.
The region's wines are known for their richness, depth, and complexity, and their ability to age beautifully. They many illustrious villages including Chateauneuf du Pape and Côte-Rôtie.
Found throughout northern Spain and southern France, there are three variants: Grenache Noir, Blanc and Gris.
Grenache Noir is the most common. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate. Complex and intense notes of blackcurrants, black cherries, black olives, coffee, gingerbread, honey, leather, black pepper, tar, spices, and roasted nuts can also be found.
For four generations the Gourjon family have farmed the terraces of the Rhône. Their wines are a delicate, yet powerful expression of a centuries-old vineyard.
Set at the crossroads of the Costières de Nîmes and Côtes du Rhône appellations, Château Font Barrièle is a jewel in the heart of history. Forming part of a nature reserve, their emblem is the little bustard, a protected species which soars above the vineyards.
Roussanne is a late-ripening, white, grape variety that produces powerful, perfumed wines with scents of fresh flowers, peaches, herbs, pears, spice, roasted nuts, and hints of pepper.
Roussanne wines are rich and often have a silky, exotic, oily texture. Enjoy them within the first few years of bottling or after they have been cellared for 15 to 20 years.
