Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde

In the glass

What it pairs with

• Guinea fowl with tarragon cream sauce
  The wine's elegance and floral character suits mild poultry in cream.
• Herb-crusted rack of lamb
  The floral and pepper notes echo the herb crust on the lamb.
• Salmon with apricot hollandaise
  The wine's Viognier apricot character bridges to the apricot hollandaise.

How to serve Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde

Allow 95 minutes from open to pour.

1. Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
2. Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature (16-18°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
3. Glassware. Use a large Bordeaux-style glass: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
4. Pair with. Guinea fowl with tarragon cream sauce, Herb-crusted rack of lamb, Salmon with apricot hollandaise. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Pierre Gaillard founded his domaine in 1987 and by 1989 was producing the Esprit de Blonde from his Cote Blonde parcels. The wine expresses the lighter, more aromatic character of the mica-gneiss Cote Blonde soils.

1. 1987: Pierre Gaillard founds the domaine in Malleval
2. 1989: First vintage of Esprit de Blonde from the Cote Blonde parcels

Facts

Producer

Pierre Gaillard · visiting guide

Grapes

Syrah (90%), Viognier (10%)

Classification

Cote-Rotie AOC

Oak

18 months in new and used French oak barriques

ABV

13.5%

Price

EUR 55-80 at retail

Drinking window

6-20 from vintage

First vintage

1989

Organic

ECOCERT

Frequently asked about Cote-Rotie Esprit de Blonde

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