I have to agree with Jon that there are so very good CB wines from Roussillon and other parts S France! Here I have also mentioned a couple of CB`s from Spain but no comment it would appear. I am not in a position to try the white Grenache from California and I might add, CdP, due to the cost factor. I will continue to look out for some bargains from Spain and France.
What I intended to say is sort of straightforward : incomparable to other Grenache blancs.
Ever have a common vegetable made by a chef in a particular way that makes you say: “Holy wowzers, Scoob. I’ve never tasted squash like this.” Something in that vein.
Mounir’s white CdP is absolutely not reasonably priced, unfortunately. It is what it is…
I’ve had awesome white wines from the Roussillon that are very very good. Gauby and his best spring to mind. Matassa wines too. But they are most often blends, and just as often (if not more often?) Grenache gris than Grenache blanc. What 70-80%+ Grenache blanc wines do you recommend, Jon, being so involved in the Roussillon?
I had no idea Rayas blanc was Grenache blanc dominant. That stuff is amazing (recent vintages), incomparable in its own right.
I think the Rayas blanc is around 50% Grenache Blanc. Even at roughly 75% GB, Saouma’s wine is rather different than Grenache Blanc.
-Al
+1 for Two Shepherds
I don’t know the exact percentages of many of the Roussillon wines made from Grenache blanc and gris and I don’t think the producers do either because many of the best and oldest vineyards were co-planted and may also include Macabeu and the Carignans.
Domaine de la Rectorie’s “L’Argile” is the best I have drunk. To be honest the wines of the Roussillon producers Robert mentions are far too inconsistent for my money. In the same village Olivier Pithon’s Cuvé Lais and Domaine Padié’s “Fleur de Caillou” have a better track-record. Also worth mentioning Les Glacieres from Domaine Gardies.
Mine is pretty good too but it won’t make it to the USA because some Californian dickhead sent me a lawyer’s letter telling me the name is too similar to the one they have trademarked for their Pinot noir vineyard 
It has a name that I share with a Pinot from Domaine Carneros, who are obviously not as desperate to make money in out-of-court settlements over such things.
Some cool things to keep an eye out for, Jon. Thanks.
Fwiw, the Rectorie Argile blanc appears to be 90% Grenache Gris, 10% Grenache blanc.
The Lais and Fleur de Caillou seem to be the Macabeo/Grenache blanc/Grenache Gris field blends you reference.
The Gardies Glacieres is a blend of 40% Grenache blanc/Grenache Gris coplantation, then 40% Roussanne, 20% Macabeo.
I hear you that Gauby can be a bit spendy and inconsistent, but when it is on, it is profoundly good wine.
Sucks that legal “trademark” shenanigans have found their way to your door. Like you don’t have enough to worry about in this whole endeavor. Can’t you just rename it, or subtly alter its name?
Courage!
I should stop in and say hi next time.
Olivier Pithon is great stuff. And blessedly is easily available in Tokyo. I also like some of the GB wines from Spain just a bit down the road from there. I think Loxarel does an amazing one and Mendall is also quite wonderful. From France I love anything from JPV at Bois de Boursan. His Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is a great balance of 4 grapes with 35% being GB. Cost performance-wise I am giving high marks to the gentleman from Beaumes de Venise “Papa Provençal” for his Ventoux La Cuvée Blanc 2014 (Clairette 40%, Grenache Blanc 50%, Rolle 10%)
I could rename it I suppose but it’s not really worth the effort as I sell out of the wine anyway. So the only effect the legal letter has is to deny Americans the chance to buy it. I wouldn’t mind but the trademark is in another language!
I haven’t drunk many 100% Grenache Blancs, the only one I can remember is the “D.O. Terra Alta Garnatxa Blanca “Tern”” from Celler Tern Obrador de Vi. My favorite Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Macabeu cuvée is Domaine de l’Horizon, which is getting better year after year. Gauby Coume Gineste (around half/half Grenache Blanc and Gris) is very good too, but for my taste, just not good enough at its price level. I’d concur with Jon Hesford for Domaine de la Rectorie Argile, a phenomenal wine (mostly Grenache Gris). Here’s another white Grenache based wine I enjoyed a lot in the past: Maxime Magnon La Begou (90% Grenache Gris, 10% Grenache Blanc).
Horizon’s UK importer said recently that they have completely changed the style from being what I would consider oxidised, alcoholic and verging on sherry to being super lean, mineral and pretty low alcohol. Personally I didn’t like the former and can’t imagine liking the latter. In any case they were always highly-priced wines from the first vintage.
I notice too often that the wines from this region, and other less famous European regions, that get the most press and most glowing critical comment tend to be outlandish wines made by the most media-focused producers.
Maybe this is an issue in other wine regions too but it seems detrimental to our enjoyment of wine. Then again, lots of people who know the producers and wines of a particular region are happy that the critics and media focus on certain producers leaving many under the radar for them to enjoy at reasonable prices.
I always thought that the major benefit of wine forums like this and wine-pages was to share those lesser-known gems with each other so we can leave the likes of Gauby and Horizon to the people who read Spectator etc.
Here’s some more producers I who’s white Grenache’s I rate above the famous names - Toupie, Pic Joan, Casa Blanca and Eric Laguerre.
I could see that. Vermentino should add some healthy acidic punch that he grenache blanc is usually sorely in need of. I could see crushing a cold seafood platter with that.
Good point. The M. Chapoutier that started this thread was non malo, I assume to maintain acidity. Malo plus an acidic blend could be interesting.
+2. Two Shepard is my favorite example.
In the Sierra Foothills, Skinner is making a very nice GB. Walks the line nicely