France | Rhone | Mas de Libian | Cave Vinum Blanc

Cave Vinum Blanc

Varietals
40% Viognier, 40% Roussanne, 20% Clairette

Notes
The Cave Vinum is a small-production white blend of Viognier, Roussanne, and Clairette made from the estate's north-facing sites, endowing the wine with a cool edge in an otherwise hot landscape.

VINEYARD: Clay-limestone, northern exposure, with a Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers, little rain, and a lot of wind. Certified organic and biodynamic agriculture. Yields are quite low at 35 hl/ha. The Thibon family have always worked their vineyards organically - they are certified biodynamic by Demeter - and the soils have been subjected to neither pesticides nor weed-killers, and in addition are plowed by horse.

VINIFICATION: Harvest is carried out entirely by hand with a very careful sorting of grapes in the vineyards. Pneumatically pressed. Cold-settling at 12-14°C (54-57°F) for 12 hours. Racking with fine lees reincorporated. Fermentation at 18-20°C (64-68°F). The Roussanne is barrel-fermented (no MLF); Viognier is raised entirely in cement and stainless steel; and finally for the Clairette, vinification and aging in Stockinger demi-muids (600 liter capacity). The wines are blended in the Spring (usually in March).