Caves Fonjoya Grenache Blanc Saint Guilhem le Desert 2021
A fresh white wine, with citrus flavours layered with aromatic herbal notes of thyme, rosemary and a hint of spice on the finish.
Producer Note - A young and dynamic company, Caves Fonjoya was established in 2018 and takes its name from the Languedoc patois; Font means fountain and Joia refers to joy. Representing a mosaic of terroirs in the Languedoc appellations, this vibrant cooperative brings together a group of enterprising vine-growers and winemakers who are united in their commitment to the protection of the terroir by using sustainable practices. Indeed, the Big Buzz range was born out of the ‘big buzz’ surrounding sustainability; the en-vogue topic of the moment. This vibrant duo of Big Buzz wines, a Grenache Blanc and Grenache Noir, come from the stunning IGP Saint-Guilhem-leDésert and both wines beautifully showcase the terroir with their purity of fruit.
Vintage - 2021 was an extremely challenging vintage across France. After a warm start to the spring, which brought the vines along, a sudden severe frost hit vineyards during the second week in April, damaging the buds and significantly reducing yields throughout many parts of the region. While the production was reduced across the region, the remaining fruit produced juice of excellent quality.
Vineyard - Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is steeped in history and classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The vineyards are nestled in the foothills of the Séranne and Mont Saint-Baudille, where they are planted alongside the olive trees. The climate is the Mediterranean, hot and dry with the gentle influence of maritime breezes blowing in from the Mediterranean Sea having a tempering effect. The soils are clay-limestone, with the clay component offering good water retention properties to help hydrate the vines through the long, dry summers. The limestone component imparts elegance to the wines. The vines are sustainably cultivated, with butterfly sexual confusion being employed instead of insecticides. The vines are harvested in the cool of the night, to preserve aromatics and the freshness in the grapes.
Winemaking - The grapes were destemmed and cool macerated in the press, followed by static settling at 8°C for 48 hours. Fermentation took place with selected yeasts in concrete tanks at controlled temperatures of 16°C. The wine was aged on its fine lees for four months, with weekly bâtonnage to impart layers of texture. The cuvée was made without the influence of oak, to retain the freshness and purity of fruit.
Tasting Note - A fresh white wine, with citrus flavours layered with aromatic herbal notes of thyme, rosemary and a hint of spice on the finish.
Grape Grenache Blanc 100%
Winemaker: Aldwin Viera
Region: Languedoc Roussillon
Subregion: Saint-Guilhem-le Désert
Country: France
Alcohol: 13.5%
Dry/Sweet value: 2 (1 is dry, 7 is very sweet)
Residual Sugar: 4
Contains Sulphites: Yes
Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes/Yes
Milk/Eggs: No/No
Organic: No
Biodynamic: No
Closure: Screwcap
