La Pèira Blanc 2017 and Deusyls de la Pèira 2017
This year we made our first ever En Primeur release of the La Pèira blanc and the second white Deusyls de la La Pèira!
Critics on the La Pèira Whites
• “This is one of the best white wines I have tasted from the Midi.” Simon Field MW Berry Bros. & Rudd
• “Like a lovely Northern Rhône white. Really exciting and good.” Jancis Robinson
“The rare white from La Pèira is surprising even its creators with its excellence and stamina, and new plantings have recently gone in of Roussanne as well as some Marsanne.” Wine Advocate
While the 2017 vintage has yet to be reviewed, past reviews of the La Pèira Blanc have been sensational:
· La Pèira Blanc 2013 “a sensational effort that competes in the top two to three whites of the Languedoc” 94/100 Wine Advocate
· La Pèira 2014 “this beauty is up with the top whites of the appellation.” 94/100 Wine Advocate
· La Pèira 2015 “citrus, white flowers and tangerine aromatics. It’s certainly an outstanding wine” 91-93/100 Wine Advocate
· La Pèira 2016 “it’s probably the white wine of the vintage.” 93 – 95/100 Wine Advocate
· 2016 Deusyls de la Pèira 90 – 92 Wine Advocate “Like everything here, it’s impeccably made.”
· 2015 Deusyls de la Pèira (89 – 91) Wine Advocate “Medium-bodied, elegant and balanced”
· 2014 Deusyls de la Pèira 92 Wine Advocate “medium-bodied, fresh and lively, with superb purity of fruit”
· 2013 Deusyls de la Pèira 92 Wine Advocate “Layered, downright classy, medium to full-bodied”
· 2012 Deusyls de la Pèira 94 Wine Advocate “it’s a smoking white”
· 2011 Deusyls de la Pèira 94 Wine Advocate “Vibrant, energetic and with a great finish”
· 2010 Deusyls de la Pèira 92 Wine Advocate “Elegant, seamless and full-flavored on the palate, with plenty of class”
· 2009 Deusyls de la Pèira (90 – 91) Wine Advocate “outstanding effort”
· 2008 Deusyls de la Pèira 91 Wine Advocate “offers mouthwatering salinity, lingering perfume, and intriguing, elusive mineral traces”
· 2006 Deusyls de la Pèira 92 Wine Advocate “demonstrates the striking potential of this site and talented team extends to white wine”
Background
Since first bottling of first white at La Pèira in 2005, weʼve learned more about the background of the white varieties at La Peira, as this interview with Jancis Robinson for her article La Pèira vertical and other Languedoc treasures relates:
“ ‘Oddly for this region, La Pèira’s Bois de Pauliau vineyard has been designated AOC for over half a century, as the most northerly of the two zones of the Clairette du Languedoc AOC (1948). Near La Pèira, and still in the Clairette AOC, France’s earliest known winery (10 AD) was discovered in 2007. Indeed, the first mention of French wine in literature as being of significant merit is found in Pliny’s Natural History (77-79 AD) in which the white wines of Baeterrae [Béziers] nearby are cited as worthy of note (alongside the resinous reds of Vienne). (Béziers is situated on a vast plain of quaternary alluvium that follows two seams northward along the Orb river toward St-Chinian and along the Hérault river toward the Terrasses du Larzac). ”
Inspired by this history of white wine production, we planted Clairette, alongside Marsanne, Roussanne in 2009, and further Roussanne and Grenache blanc in 2013.
The La Pèira blanc (first released in 2013) is a blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier. Roussanne, of course, along with Marsanne, comprise the great Hermitage whites, with the Viognier grape comprising the wines of Condrieu.
The first of these implantations coming on board alongside the vineyard work and work with the Deusyls de la Pèira over 10 years lead to the development and first bottling of the La Pèira blanc in 2013 (albeit in limited availability).
The planting for the whites : Belle Feuille Roussanne planted 0,2573 ha Marsanne planted 0,0847 ha Roussanne 0,1720 ha Viognier 0,3000 ha Les Pointes Clairette 0,2860 ha Grenache blanc 0,2850 ha
The offer can be accessed here: https://store.la-peira.com/
A wonderful map showing the parcels, lieux-dits, and cepages of La Pèira can be viewed: http://www.la-peira.com/la-peira-map/
To purchase the map click here: https://store.la-peira.com/product/vignoble-de-la-peira/