Chardonnay Xavier 2009 (12x75 cl)

Zoom	Vins blancs Appellation : Vin de Pays d'Oc Millésime : 2009 La caisse TTC : 82.8 € La bouteille TTC : 6.9 €

TERROIR : 4 different terroirs ! Located at the 4 highest points in altitude aroud Pic Saint Loup and Grès de Montpellier (argilo-calcareous soils); for exceptionnal freshness

YIELD: average of less than 50 hl per hectare. 

VINIFICATION: 3 hours of maceration (the crushed grape skins are left in the juice until they have imparted the desired amount of tannins and aroma). light pressing (<0,5 bar) in cold and inert atmosphere to avoid any oxidation. Cold scrubbing (without adjuvant) during 12 hours then fermentation at 15°C. Dregs melted with wine until winter in order to protect it in a natural way and to give wine this fine softness in the first mouth. No malo-lactic fermentation, steril filtration (0,65 µ). Half of the wine has been vinified in french oak barrels, and one third stayed in for ageing during 6 month before bottling (March 2010). 

TASTING NOTES: gold yellow dress, with coppererish casts. Nose of white fruits and flowers (acacia). Honey notes. Mouth is soft, round and long, mineral and almost peppered, with a little bit of smooth spices. A typic chardonnay with its long, fine and nervoux final.

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 191 (Oct 2010): 86/100

"Another good value is the 2009 Chardonnay Vin de Pays d’Oc. Fresh and lively with hints of nectarines and orange blossoms, it will offer lovely drinking over the next 1-2 years. I visited the three owners of Xavier Vins, the young oenologist, Xavier Vignon, who is the brain trust behind so many of the wines, and his two partners. This relatively youthful, serious negociant company has been doing some extraordinary consulting work in Chateauneuf du Pape. They access gorgeous fruit from many different appellations and are doing a top-flight job of getting impressive quality into the bottle. Moreover, there are some top values in their portfolio as well."

TEMPERATURE: 12 à 14 °c (53-57°F).

AGEING: This wine should be drunk now in its young days, for its freshness. Its structure allows it to be kept 2 more years if needed