Vidal-Fleury, Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2023

Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2023, Vidal-Fleury

Rhône Valley, France

Grape Variety: Marsanne, Roussanne

Alcohol: 13% ABV

The Story

It was in 1781, in the small commune of Tupin-et-Semons, south of Lyon and within the most prestigious vineyard of the Rhône, that Joseph Vidal founded the Maison of the same name. From the outset, it acquired an international reputation thanks, in particular, to trade with America. Thomas Jefferson, then United States ambassador to France, visited the estate in 1787.

In the 1890s, Gustave Vidal married a Miss Fleury, and Maison Vidal became Maison Vidal-Fleury. This wedding came at just the right time, as the bride's dowry enabled the vineyard, which had just suffered the devastating attacks of phylloxera, to be replanted.

A period of disappointments followed, such as two wars, a lack of skilled labor, market gardening... We thought the vineyard was in agony, but that was without counting on a handful of stubborn men, and above all wine lovers, who would revive the vineyard. With the strength of their tenacity and their arms, they restored the vines and gradually restored their nobility. And this is how Maison Vidal-Fleury became, in the middle of the 20th century, the emblematic Maison of Côte Rôtie.

In 1984, it became the property of the Guigal family: this was the logical next step for these two families, Vidal-Fleury and Guigal, who had always worked together in the wine industry. Indeed, in 1924, Joseph Vidal-Fleury had hired Etienne Guigal, Marcel's father, as winemaker and cellar master. When the Vidal-Fleury family decided to sell, having no heirs wishing to run the House, they naturally turned to the Guigal family... The family story continues.

Vidaly-Fleury, however, retains its full autonomy. In 2008, the House took a new step and invested in new 9,000m² cellars to optimize the maturation, packaging, and aging of the wines in bottles.

Today, Maison Vidal-Fleury has no fewer than 19 of the most prestigious appellations in the Rhône Valley.

Vineyard & Winemaking

This wine comes from vines located in the southern part of the Crozes-Hermitage appellation, on the Chassis terroir. The grapes are grown on pebble and pebble soils, which are very filtering. The climate is more influenced by the Mediterranean with the mistral wind and fairly mild temperatures.

Slow and gentle direct pressing to preserve all the finesse of the juices' aromas. Low-temperature alcoholic fermentation. Complete malolactic fermentation. The aging lasts sixteen months with 25% of the vintage aged on lees in wood (oak barrels and demi-muids) and 75% in stainless steel vats.

Tasting Notes:

The floral nose expresses white flowers such as acacia or hawthorn, then fruits such as pear or peach appear, finally, vanilla brings a touch of sweetness. Fresh then lively and balanced mid-palate, with the finish leaving a sensation of freshness marked by floral aromas.

Cellaring & Service

Cellaring Potential: 5-8 years 

Serving Temperature: 11°C

Allergens: This wine contains sulphites