2006
Ferraton Pere & Fils
Cotes du Rhone
Samorens Blanc
(60% Grenache Blanc, 40% Clairette)
$14.95
CSPC# 73916
(?)
August 16, 2008 Vintages Release
(399 cases of 12)
NOTE: Many reviewers comment on this producer being both organic and biodynamic.
1855 (FRA)
Issue:
3 ½ stars (out of 5)
“
Ref:
Barrels and Bottles (UK)
Issue:
Recommended
Name : Cotes du Rhone Samorens Blanc, Ferraton.
Colour : bright, pale gold with silver tints.
Nose : aromas of white flowers and white fruit.
Palate : nicely balance wine. Clairette brings the freshness and white Grenache body and softness.
Grape : White Grenache (60%) and Clairette (40%).
Soil : essentially clay and limestone.
Vinification : after pressing, the must is cold settled for 48 hours. Fermentatoin temperatures are controlled.
Maturing : in vats without malolactic fermentation. Early bottling at the end of winter.
Ref:
Domaine 547 (US)
Issue: May 2, 2008
Recommended
“Pick this beauty of a white up in LA at Larchmount Wine (323-856-8699) or you can order from us, as we have it in stock! (NB, for a wine this good, and this reasonable — just $12.99US — we’re surprised that so few retailers are carrying it. A check on wine-searcher comes up nearly empty). Simon says:
The great Jancis Robinson (wine writer and personality extraordinaire), during a recent interview with Charlie Rose said something to the effect that the most important tasting note one can make when encountering a wine is a simple “Ah!”. This simple exclamation reflects the immediate recognition of something that is distinctive and pleasant, a wine that intrigues on the nose, a wine that sits just beautifully on the palate, a wine that is just so…right. Above all, this is the moment that one surrenders to the simple pleasure of the wine, and not to the duty of over-analysis or quantification.
This lovely white provided me with such a moment and was made by Samuel Ferraton (he worked at Chapoutier before he took over the family estate), sourcing fruit from his holdings near Tain l’Hermitage in the northern Rhone valley.
Fermented and aged in stainless steel, this organic and biodynamic blend of Grenache Blanc (60%) and Clairette (40%) manages to balance its exotic fruit characteristics (ripe white peach, apricots and caramelized apples) and generous body with a freshness and invigorating acidity. Balance in a wine is crucial to its success with food, and this would pair wonderfully with grilled scallops, creamy butternut squash soup, salt cod croquettes with aioli or some Saint-Marcellin cheese. –SC
“Ah!” And did we say it’s just $12.99? We did… As it does with Simon, the Ferraton CdR Blanc gets our highest recommendation.”
Ref:
One Wine Per Week (US)
Issue: July 10, 2008
Recommended
“This white Rhone blend of Grenache Blanc and Clairette was produced from organic, biodynamically farmed grapes.
The aromas were initially closed but after some violent swirling I must have made the wine seasick so it coughed up some very nice flowery honeysuckle and pear aromas.
On the palate the flavors were also initially tight but with some air time and swirling they turned really generous: Peach, peach pit, pears, with a pleasing apricot-like tartness and good, crisp acidity. There was a good balance between the full, rounded fruit flavors and the minerals and acidity that made for a great contrast. A minerally aftertaste trailed off fairly quickly.
This made for some nice drinking in our already too-hot June! At $12.99 from Domaine 547, this easily deserves two thumbs up. Well worth a purchase!
Ref:
Wine Blogging Wednesday (US)
Issue: June 11, 2008 – Issue #46
Excellent QPR
“The varieties that I think best exemplify summer are white varieties associated with the Rhone: Bourboulenc, Clairette Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains, Picardin, Picpoul, Roussanne, Ugni Blanc, and Viognier. These white grapes are grown all over the world, and produce wines that are rich in orchard and tropical fruit flavors, or have a bracing acidity that cools you down when its warm outsides. The wines made from these grapes are surprisingly versatile, and pair with a wide range of foods depending on how the fruit is treated during fermentation and aging. For this WBW you could drink any white Rhone variety or combination of varieties, from any region in the world, at any price point.
I decided to compare and contrast two wines: one made in the Rhone from a blend of Clairette and Grenache Blanc; and another made in Paso Robles, solely from Rousanne. The French white was aged in stainless steel; the Paso Robles white was kissed with some oak.
The first wine was the excellent QPR 2006 Ferraton Père & Fils Côtes du Rhône Samorëns. The wine was made from organically and biodynamically produced Grenache Blanc and Clairette grapes grown in Tain l'Hermitage. Samuel Ferraton and Chapoutier have been in partnership on the property for the past decade, which has brought new resources and attention to the Ferraton operation. When I opened this bottle of wine, it smelled just like summer with aromas of pear, almond, and a bit of flower as the wine warmed up. The pale gold color was equally summery, and the flavors were redolent of summery orchard fruits like pear and peach. Because it was aged in stainless steel the wine retained a fresh intensity that would make it very appealing on a warm June or July day. An interesting nutty almond aftertaste added complexity to the wine. It had a nice round feeling in the mouth, and was a textbook example of a blend of these two varieties--for a terrific price.”
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