Pale gold. Heady orchard and pit fruit scents are lifted and sharpened by suggestions of chalky minerals, honeysuckle and lemon pith. Silky and penetrating on the palate, offering intense nectarine, pear and Meyer lemon flavors and subtle hints of honey and brioche. Picks up a smoky nuance with air and finishes impressively long and seamless, with resonating stoniness and excellent clarity. Producer Information Famille Bréchet is a family-run wine producer based in the southern Rhône, particularly known for its Grenache-based reds from Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas. The company is centred around properties previously owned by Gabriel Meffre which, on his death in 1987, were inherited by his daughter Sylvette Bréchet – the Gabriel Meffre company itself was bought by Allied Domecq in 1990. Château Vaudieu, located in the centre of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, is the flagship property. In the 19th Century, it was one of the grandest estates of the region, but suffered greatly in the phylloxera disaster that ravaged European vineyards in the late 19th and early 20th Century. It was rescued by Gabriel Meffre and redeveloped to boast an unparalleled 70 hectares (173 acres) of vineyards in one site. Bréchet makes three red and two white Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines at Château Vaudieu. In the Rhône, Famille Bréchet also owns Domaine des Bosquets – another prestigious, award-winning property located in Gigondas with 26 hectares (65 acres) of vineyard. It also holds Domaine de la Jérôme in Séguret, and Le Plateau des Chênes in Lirac. In the western part of the Côtes de Provence, Bréchet runs Château de la Coulerette, which has a 60-hectare (148-acre) vineyard, a part of which falls in the La Londe sub-appellation.
