Nose
The wine reveals a lovely, expressive bouquet of complex floral and white fruit aromas – pear and hawthorn – with a hint of citrus.
Palate
On the palate, the fleshy, generous Semillon shines through, underpinned by the freshness of the Sauvignon, which brings balances to the wine. Meticulous ageing has given the wine its subtle oak character, which in no way detracts from the overall aromatic freshness, nor the long, fresh finish with minty notes. The wine reflects the Rahoul terroir well.
Growing Conditions
The vineyard at Rahoul, which is relatively old and deeply rooted, escaped significant precipitation in spring. Excellent weather in August and September allowed the grapes to reach good ripeness levels, and we approached Dourthe’s 5th harvest on the estate in a total state of calm. The white grapes were harvested in several passages through the vines from September 7th onwards, which is the usual date for Rahoul. The wines, vinified and aged in barrel, are showing appealing aromatic complexity, underpinned by generous fleshy character on the palate. This is a vintage on a par with the great white wines from this property.
Sauvignon Blanc yield their best results on the premium quality plots located in Saint-Selve, while Semillon flourishes on the sandy-gravel soils of Portets and Podensac, where it reveals its true worth.
Harvest
We harvest sauvignons and semillons in the morning freshness in order to preserve their natural acidity.
Winemaking
The white grapes, which are predominantly Semillon, are harvested by hand in slatted crates to avoid any damage to the berries. They are then pressed under inert gas to retain the complex aromas and the freshness of the musts.
Aging
The wines are then aged for 8-9 months.
Appearance
Attractive pale yellow in appearance.
Food Pairing
Perfectly matches poultry (ginea fowl, roasted chicken), fishes (lobster, skate with cream and sauces), crustacean (oysters, crab), and cheese (unpasteurized and mature cheese).
