Maison Brotte
If you happen to be in the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, you’ll probably end up at the Musée du Vin. It’s attached to Maison Brotte, one of the oldest wineries in France’s Southern Rhone. While your there, you’ll notice a selection of black twisted bottles of wine. Those are the La Fiole du Pape Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a non-vintage wine that the winery’s been making since 1954.
I’ve always had a soft spot for old-school eccentrics, and the Brotte family has a few of them in the family tree. They’ve expanded their property over the years, and now own Château de Bord in Laudun, Domaine Grosset in Cairanne, and Domaine Barville in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Wine Review
This wine is bottled under the Barville label and sourced from several of their vineyards. Mostly Grenache Blanc with some Clairette and Viognier in the blend. The scent of anise and jasmine is layered into a note of grapefruit. On the palate, almond flavors are a pleasant counterpoint to the fresh apple and ginger flavors. Crisp with just a hint of richness on the palate and a lingering note of apricot. This would be a great bottle for grilled monkfish with peach salsa.