2022 Château La Verrerie, Hautes Collines Viognier - Liberty

In 1981, Jean-Louis Descours fell in love with Château La Verrerie while looking for a post-retirement project. He promptly purchased the 20-hectare estate and, with the help of his son Gérard, brought it back to life. They constructed a new winery and acquired more vineyards with the sole ambition of making great wine. Their first vintage was released in 1985. Today, Christopher Descours, Jean-Louis’ grandson and owner of Charles Heidsieck Champagne, runs the estate with talented winemaker Valentine Tardieu-Vitali, who recently ranked in Le Figaro’s Top 50 French winemakers.

Château La Verrerie comprises 48 hectares of vineyard Luberon, planted predominantly to Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre, with seven hectares dedicated to the white varieties: Roussanne, Viognier, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc. The domaine’s vineyards are farmed organically, and the wines have been certified organic since the 2013 vintage.

Their Luberon Rosé is made using the saignée method and comprises a blend of Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre. Aged on its lees for three to six months to add texture to the palate, it is Provençal in style with a delicate, pale colour, crisp acidity and a scented finish.

Their ‘Hautes Collines’ Blanc comprises a blend of Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne. Each variety is fermented separately, partially in casks, before being aged on lees for four months. The ‘Hautes Collines’ Rouge blends Syrah and Grenache to create a wine bursting with blood orange and sweet liquorice notes. This is a typical Luberon red, with beautiful balance and silky texture. The ‘Hautes Collines’ Viognier is defined by layers of fresh stone fruits, a delicate floral bouquet, a well-structured palate and a saline finish.

The estate has 56 hectares of vineyard which have been certified organic since the 2013 vintage. Since recognising the potential of the diverse clay and limestone soils, which lend both power and freshness to the finished wines, Valentine has implemented biodynamic practises and dedicated more vineyard parcels to white grapes. The name 'Hautes Collines' means 'high hills' and reflects the surrounding landscape of the estate.

In general, the 2022 vintage was an extremely promising year for Southern Rhone. The vines matured early, by around twenty days compared to the 2021 vintage. Winter and spring were fairly mild and very dry. The abundant sunshine and elevated temperatures over summer sparked worries about potential increase in alcohol levels, but mid-August and September rains, despite their variable intensity, had a beneficial effect, allowing the vineyard to recover and the grapes to continue their very encouraging curve of maturity.