This wine is a pale yellow color with bright green highlights. The aroma of quince, acacia, roasted almond and fresh ripe apple leads into a bold, balanced body with earthy flavors and a complex finish. Chapoutier’s 2019 Crozes Hermitage Blanc Les Meysonniers ratchets up the intensity and complexity, adding hints of honey and crushed stone to notes of ripe melon and citrus. Medium to full-bodied, round and succulent on the palate, it finishes with mouth-coating flavors and ample length. Aged in a mix of demi-muids and stainless steel, it’s a deftly balanced but opulent Marsanne that drinks well now.

About M. Chapoutier

No name is more closely associated with the greatness of the Rhone valley than Chapoutier.

The history of the Chapoutier family stretches back to the early nineteenth century when current owner Michel Chapoutier’s great-, great-, great-grandfather Marius purchased an estate and some vineyards in the now famous village of Tain l’Hermitage in the Northern Rhône Valley. Marius Chapoutier made history in the region when he became the first grape grower there to vinify his own fruit. Marius had tasted wines other winemakers produced using his fruit and he realized that something was lost in translation, so to speak. He knew that he owned some of the best growing sites in the appellation and he believed — rightly — that the grapes grown in his vineyards could produce long-lived world-class wines. In a move unusual at the time, he decided that he should make the wine himself. Not only did the quality of the wines increase greatly, but this move provided the capital to expand the Chapoutiers’ already legendary estate.

A visionary and pioneer in biodynamic winemaking, his restless energy and unconditional commitment to quality have produced tremendous success, with the most 90+ point ratings of all Rhône producers and 16 “100 point” rated wines.

Sothis Gin is distilled from grapes and plants grown near the vineyards. This family domaine is cultivated using biodynamic practices in which plants play a central role. In their wild state they offer M. Chapoutier a better understanding of the soils. When used in vine treatments they help to nourish plant life and support plant growth. They have selected a few of these plants in order to offer a new perspective of their terroirs, the story of a gin originating from the Tain l’Hermitage vineyards and their floral heritage. They have been honing this recipe for many months under the watchful eye of Sothis, the star and also the ancient Goddess who teaches us that cultivating the land is a means of moving closer to the stars.