Chene Bleu, IGP Vaucluse (Rhône Valley, France) 2009

Nicole Rolet and her team at Chene Bleu are shooting for the stars with their wines, aiming to be one of the Rhone’s top producers.  And they are well on their way.  This is a property to watch.  A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Viognier, Héloise has power coupled with exquisite finesse.  The Viognier adds an alluring flowery element that lifts the wine so that it dances on the palate.  Despite the lightness a foot, it has an almost paradoxical concentration and depth.  Rolet refers to it as wine for gibier à plume (literally game with feathers), such as a roast duck.  So if the financial gods were good to you last year, Chene Bleu’s Héloise would be a good reward this winter.