Clairette de Bellegarde is a small Dry white wine appellation located in the southernmost Part of the Rhone Valley in France. The wines are produced from the Clairette grape only in the parish of Bellegarde. It is located halfway between the cities of Arles and Nîmes and only 30 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast. The appellation has only about 40 hectares of vines.
However, Bellegarde also produces wines sold under the Costières de Nîmes appellation. Created in June 1949, the Clairette de Bellegarde appellation was intended to distinguish the more usual style of southern French wines from the unique style of Bellegarde's Clairette production. Clairette de Bellegarde wines are intended for early drinking - although the French name Bellegarde suggests "belle garde". They are produced exclusively from the Clairette grape and can be compared to similar wines from the Coteaux de Die appellation of the Eastern Rhône.
The ambitious project named ‘Elements’ sees the launch of 1,000 meticulously handcrafted wooden presentation boxes each containing a different number and format of the estate’s wines. Taking inspiration from the shape of the cellars, designed by Philippe Starck and Luc Arsène-Henry and completed in 2016, these unique showcases house either two double magnums, three magnums or six bottles that have been specially preserved in the estate’s cellars – a detail marked by a gol ...
As a wine critic, witnessing a relatively unknown estate rise up and receive the recognition it deserves can be a bittersweet feeling. From a purely selfish point of view, you watch the prices rise inexorably so you can no longer afford to drink wines from that estate as often as you once did. But primarily you’re delighted for the owners and for those who have discovered their wines. Scroll down for Matt Walls’ tasting notes and scores for five vintages of Domaine Gonon St-Joseph {"c ...
Higher growing season temperatures over the next 20 years are likely to further increase the UK’s potential for wine production, according to new modelling on ‘near-term’ climate change impact on the sector. Yet wineries also need flexibility to adapt to challenges, said the study, published in the Oeno One journal and part of a wider project on climate resilience in UK wine. Conditions seen in the excellent 2018 vintage are set to become more common in several areas, including East ...
