Domaine de la Janasse, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, 2017
Domaine de la Janasse, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, 2017
- 75cl
- 14.5%
- White Still
- Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2029
Domaine de la Janasse makes one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape's most compelling white wines, a rich blend of Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, and Clairette that captures the sun-baked intensity of this legendary Southern Rhône appellation. The Sabon family have farmed here since 1973, building a reputation for wines that balance power with elegance.
This 2017 has reached full maturity, showing honeyed stone fruit wrapped around a core of mineral precision that only comes from old vines and exceptional terroir. Both generous and structured, it offers the immediate pleasure of ripe fruit whilst maintaining the tension that makes white Châteauneuf so distinctive.
The white wine vineyards are planted on the famous galets roulés - rounded river stones deposited by ancient Rhône floods - mixed with sandy clay soils in the cooler northern sectors of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. These stones absorb heat during the day and radiate it back at night, whilst the sandy elements provide crucial drainage. The altitude ranges from 80-120 metres, helping preserve acidity in what can be a challenging climate for white wines.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape allows 13 grape varieties, though white wines typically focus on Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, and Bourboulenc. Established in 1936, it was France's first AOC and remains one of the most prestigious appellations in the Southern Rhône. White wines represent just 7% of production but offer remarkable intensity and longevity, benefiting from the same exceptional terroir that makes the reds so famous.
The 2017 vintage in the Rhône caught everyone off guard with its sheer abundance and surprising quality. After a tricky spring with frost scares, the summer delivered exactly what vignerons needed: steady warmth without the punishing heat that can batter these sun-soaked slopes. The harvest arrived early, as it did across much of France that year, but the fruit came in with excellent ripeness and refreshing acidity levels that many hadn't seen in years.
What emerged from the cellars was a vintage that defied expectations about Rhône power. The Syrah from the northern appellations shows remarkable freshness alongside its typical savoury intensity, while Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas produced wines with more approachable tannins than usual without sacrificing their characteristic richness. We find the best examples drinking brilliantly now, offering immediate pleasure while promising to develop gracefully until 2030 and beyond. This is one of those vintages that reminds you why the Rhône remains France's most reliable source of serious wine at sensible prices.
What the critics say:
"A blend of 40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Clairette and 30% Roussanne, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc was bottled just a month before my visit. The Clairette and Roussanne mature in demi-muids, which gives this wine a round, expansive mouthfeel and rich texture. The ripe tangerine flavors gain focus on the long finish, picking up hints of citrus zest and brine, leaving behind a mouthwatering lasting sensation of freshness."
OUR GROWERS
Domaine De La Janasse
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