2019 Domaine de la Solitude (Lançon Père et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc- France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/24/2021)
Take about 2 /3rds of a northern Rhône white, that is an orchid fruit let’s call it an apricot add the waxy texture with a tiny bit of bitters - then the other third has the traits of Southern Italian white - fresh lemon juice and assorted garden fresh herbs, add dash of oak, and here you are. Interesting and fun! I liked this. (91 pts.)
I know this isn’t a big category, but white CNDP has always felt crazy mispriced (too high) to me. I have a hard time thinking these ($20-$40 range) are really any better than basic blancs, or village wines from the area. It only gets worse for the flagships like Beaucastel’s VV…
Thank you for the reply and you bring up a good point Arv re: pricing. This was $40 and at the ceiling of what I would have paid for a white of this caliber. I have never had one of the big guns (Beaucastel and VT blanc) and perhaps I never will - which is ok, with so many character driven whites from Spain and Italy available at ones finger tips.