Bila-Haut by Michel Chapoutier Cotes du Roussillon Blanc 2017
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Absolutely delicious with loads of fruit and a crisp, clean, finish. This blend of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Macabeu & Vermentino is complex and floral but still nicely structured and fresh. Generous aromas of peach, apricot, honeysuckle, and pink grapefruit burst from the glass. The flavors follow in a richly textured, but mouthwatering, wine that rides a beam of salty, chalky, mineral through a long, generous, finish. Produced under Organic and Biodynamic farming methods and winemaking.
An excellent pairing with rich seafood like seabass or scallops, mushroom risotto as well as grilled vegetables and roasted chicken.
Blend: 50 % Grenache Blanc, 20% Marsanne, 20% Macabeo, 10% Vermentino
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
A clean, balanced, crisp white that delivers crushed citrus, mint, and hints of stony minerality, the 2017 Côtes du Roussillon Les Vignes de Bila Haut Blanc is medium-bodied, fresh and lively, with beautiful depth of fruit married to bright acidity and obvious minerality. It's another wine that over-delivers at the price. A blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 20% Macabeau, and the rest Roussanne, Marsanne, and Vermentino, drink it over the coming year or two.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Bila Haut's entry-level white is a super value. A blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Macabeu, Vermentino and Marsanne, the 2017 Côtes du Roussillon les Vignes de Bila Haut Blanc is plump, round and richly textured in the mouth, yet it's also refreshing, with vibrant flavors of tangerine zest underscored by briny notes on the finish.
Other Vintages
2021-
James
Suckling
Domaine Bila-Haut is owned by the well known Rhone Valley Oenologist, Michel Chapoutier. The name refers to an old farm villa which was built high into the mountain slopes , among some old vineyards. The Domaine comprises 75 hectares of land cultivated under bio-dynamic farming techniques and is characterized by steep pebbly slopes rising from almost 150 meters above sea level. The soil has 3 components…Schiste, Gneiss and Clay, and the Grape varieties are Grenache, Carignan, and of course Syrah. The cool winters and very hot summers combined with little rain, and the drying Mistral breeze during the growing season is perfection for these varietals…in some respects better than in the Rhone Valley. The Domaine is located in the commune of Latour-de-France…just about as close as you can be to Spain, but still be located in France, with a great deal of history related to the Nights Templar, and the Cathar movement, hence the T in the title of the Domaine shaped like the Nights Templar Cross.The wines exhibit the distinctive pepper and spice of Syrah, but are bigger and rounder in the mouth, with great complexity coming from the Carignan and Grenache. Here is A Rhone producer getting the best out of the Terroir in Lanquedoc… a superb combination! And one of the best Wine Makers in France.
With hundreds of white grape varieties to choose from, winemakers have the freedom to create a virtually endless assortment of blended white wines. In many European regions, strict laws are in place determining the set of varieties that may be used in white wine blends, but in the New World, experimentation is permitted and encouraged. Blending can be utilized to enhance balance or create complexity, lending different layers of flavors and aromas. For example, a variety that creates a soft and full-bodied white wine blend, like Chardonnay, would do well combined with one that is more fragrant and naturally high in acidity. Sometimes small amounts of a particular variety are added to boost color or aromatics. Blending can take place before or after fermentation, with the latter, more popular option giving more control to the winemaker over the final qualities of the wine.
Although it is a region predominantly recognized for fortified, vins doux naturels (a type of sweet wine), Roussillon is also ideal for the production of dry red, white and rose wines. To encompass all the dry wines from the surrounding region that are not the vins doux naturels of Banyuls, Maury and Rivesaltes, the appellation of Côtes du Roussillon was created in 1977. It covers the eastern half of the Pyrénées-Orientales (the eastern side of the Pyrenees Mountains) and lower lands of Roussillon. Côtes du Roussillon includes complex soils of schist, limestone, gneiss and granite and climatic conditions that support many grape varieties.
Côtes du Roussillon red wines are blends made from Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and smaller amounts of Carignan, Cinsault and the lesser known, Lledoner Pelut. Rosé wines come from the same varieties, as well as may include Grenache Gris and Macabeo. White wines from Côtes du Roussillon are Grenache Blanc and Macabeo with small amounts of Marsanne, Roussanne and Rolle (aka Vermentino).