La Canicule- Chardonnay

No Longer Available In The Range.

£7.00 per 75cl sold in boxes of 6 bottles

Domaine Sainte Rose is an exclusive wine estate situated in the Languedoc region of southern France. The Chardonnay grapes that produced this wine were picked during the night in order to protect the fruit from the extreme heat of the day. 

This special wine is a product of "La Canicule" or "the heatwave" that the Languedoc experienced during the summer of 2003.  It will only be made in exceptional years such as 2003.  The wine is wonderfully concentrated single-varietal Chardonnay, whose golden colour and generous, honeyed palate are reminiscent of sunny southern days. This wine underwent fermentation in French oak barrels with frequent stirring of the lees to create a smooth, complex Chardonnay.  This wine is an ideal accompaniment for oriental cuisine, cheese, and other exotic dishes containing poultry, pork or fish.

Colour: Rich golden yellow

Nose: An exotic mix of fruit and spice. Hints of pepper, vanilla, caramel and marmalade

Palate: Full-bodied and intense with a rich, smooth, buttery finish.

Drink: Now until 2009

Available vintages: 2003

3rd Party Reviews On ‘La Canicule":-

"100% Chardonnay, but this time partly barrel-aged. It has a deeper, buttercup colour, and the nose offers hints of hazelnut and almost minty fruit and sweet oak intensity. On the palate this has masses of sweet, ripe, limpid fruit with the blush of nectarine skins, pineapple and quite delicate Asian pear and crisp apple qualities. There is restraint here though, with an edge of precise acidity keeping the picture clean and juicy, and again excellent length and purity of fruit into the finish."

Tom Cannavan, wine-pages.com, 2005

"Clear, pale gold colour, with a very aromatic nose. Creamy, nutty, with some complex fruit flavours and the merest hint of oak. Although this wine is from the very hot, dry 2003 vintage and has been barrel-fermented, it has been very skilfully made. Although undoubtedly rich and powerful, it is well-balanced, with the richness balanced by good acidity. The oak is beautifully integrated and the wine is drinking delightfully already. Slightly warm on the finish, but very long. Drink possibly with a herby roast chicken or fish with a creamy sauce. May get even better, over the next 2 or 3 years."

Leon Stolarski Fine Wines, 2005

"This is a one-off label from Domaine Sainte Rose- produced from Chardonnay grapes produced during the 2003 heat wave (Canicule).  50% of the grapes were fermented in 1 year old oak which is evident on the nose but less so on the palate.  This has a lovely mouth-feel being rounded, smooth, no overly oaky with a nutty, honeyed palate and good lenght. " Scribblings Rating - 92/100

Andy Barrow, http://www.andys-scribblings.co.uk/, 2004