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2022 Malvoisie d’Istrie Blanc
Château La RoqueMalvasia is one of those accessible-but-just-unusual-enough varieties that easily finds itself the object of ardent fandom. We are lucky to have multiple stunning iterations from our producers in northern Italy, so when this bottle arrived from the south of France, an air of intrigue swept our staff. Tasting the bottle, one quickly sees winemaker Cyriaque Rozier’s statement that Malvasia has “acclimated perfectly to the land of La Roque” is not an overstatement. The characteristic citrus peel nose takes on tropical notes and, as with Cyriaque’s bottling of Assyrtiko, the Languedoc rendition presents satisfying weight to a variety that’s often delicate-footed. These are breathtaking takes on exciting grapes. Cheers to innovative winemaking.
—Allyson Noman
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2022 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Assyrtiko |
Appellation: | Languedoc |
Country: | France |
Region: | Languedoc-Roussillon |
Producer: | Château La Roque |
Winemaker: | Cyriaque Rozier |
Soil: | Clay, limestone scree |
Aging: | Aged in cement tanks (80%) and demi-muids (20%) for 8 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2019 Faugères “Jadis”
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Earthy, meaty, savory, juicy, and powerful, it is a glassful of joyful, soulful goodness.
2022 Pic Saint Loup Rouge
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There is something timeless to La Roque’s Pic Saint Loup, its herbal bouquet and rich, fleshy texture, all free from any hint of modern trappings.
2020 Collioure Rouge “Puig Ambeille”
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A stony, spicy cuvée full of Mediterranean sunshine, aromatic garrigue, and a hint of salinity that offers a perfect match for grilled rosemary lamb chops.
2020 Pays d’Oc Rouge “Les Vieilles Vignes de Mourvèdre”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Cherry-cheeked and ebullient, this old-vine Mourvèdre acts anything but its age. Pure fun and drinkability; black cherry, citrus and stone. Age ain't nothing but a number!
2022 Assyrtiko Blanc
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Salinity in spades, fleshed out by summery golden fruit notes, like baked pineapple.
2020 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Cupa Numismae”
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It’s dense, noble, with grip and grit, the kind of cuvée that could generate a lot of awe and attention... and also a much higher price tag.
2022 Pic Saint-Loup Rosé
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This rosé, so pale you need to hold it up to a light that flicker of rosé hue, blurs the line between rosé and blanc.
2022 Languedoc Blanc
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Lately you may have noticed a rise in freshness, a burst in aromatics, and a softness of texture in La Roque’s wines.
2020 Gard Rouge “Clausus”
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
This wine is full of fresh Grenache fruit, beautifully perfumed, with a refined and elegant finish.
2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Sainte Agnès”
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About The Producer
Château La Roque
About The Region
Languedoc-Roussillon
Ask wine drinkers around the world, and the word “Languedoc” is sure to elicit mixed reactions. On the one hand, the region is still strongly tied to its past as a producer of cheap, insipid bulk wine in the eyes of many consumers. On the other hand, it is the source of countless great values providing affordable everyday pleasure, with an increasing number of higher-end wines capable of rivaling the best from other parts of France.
While there’s no denying the Languedoc’s checkered history, the last two decades have seen a noticeable shift to fine wine, with an emphasis on terroir. Ambitious growers have sought out vineyard sites with poor, well draining soils in hilly zones, curbed back on irrigation and the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and looked to balance traditional production methods with technological advancements to craft wines with elegance, balance, and a clear sense of place. Today, the overall quality and variety of wines being made in the Languedoc is as high as ever.
Shaped like a crescent hugging the Mediterranean coast, the region boasts an enormous variety of soil types and microclimates depending on elevation, exposition, and relative distance from the coastline and the cooler foothills farther inland. While the warm Mediterranean climate is conducive to the production of reds, there are world-class whites and rosés to be found as well, along with stunning dessert wines revered by connoisseurs for centuries.
More from Languedoc-Roussillon or France
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2019 Languedoc Montpeyroux Rouge “Les Cocalières”
Domaine d’Aupilhac France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Pic Saint Loup Rouge “Sainte Agnès”
Héritage du Pic Saint Loup France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2019 Faugères
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Corbières Rouge
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
2021 Saint-Chinian Blanc “Montmajou”
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2021 Corbières Rouge “Réserve La Demoiselle”
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
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2022 Saint-Chinian Rouge “Cebenna”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.