Domaine de la Mordorée Lirac Blanc La Reine des Bois 2023
Domaine de la Mordorée
Mordorée's white Lirac is one of the southern Rhône's best-kept secrets — a serious white from an appellation most drinkers overlook entirely. The 2023 vintage captures the estate's knack for balancing richness with freshness, delivering complexity that belies its modest price. Drink it now through 2027.
Nose
White flowers and citrus blossom open the bouquet, followed by ripe melon and a subtle honeyed quality. A faint mineral note — wet stone — adds tension beneath the fruit.
Palate
Rich and textured without being heavy, the palate delivers citrus and melon at the fore, followed by almond and a creamy mid-section. A green herbal thread and gentle toasted quality from judicious oak use provide structure and length.
Finish
Medium-long, with persistent citrus, a touch of marzipan, and a clean mineral close.
- Varietal
- Clairette
- Blend
- 40% Clairette, 30% Grenache Blanc, 20% Roussanne, 10% Viognier
- Vineyards
- Old vines on galets roulés (round stones) over clay-limestone, Lirac AOC
- Alcohol
- 13.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
- Skin Contact
- No
Food Pairing
The wine's creamy texture and almond notes complement the scallop's sweetness, while the citrus acidity and mineral finish cut through the butter sauce, creating a conversation between richness and precision.
Christophe Delorme leads this family estate in Lirac, across the Rhône from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where old-vine Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne produce whites of startling depth from sun-baked galets roulés.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur Blanc Terres Chaudes 2023
Domaine des Roches Neuves
Thierry Germain's biodynamically farmed Chenin Blanc from the Terres Chaudes parcel delivers a wine where the tuffeau limestone substrate is as much a character as the grape. Wood plays virtually no role here — the expression is all terroir, acid, and fruit. A white wine for those who believe restraint is its own form of generosity.
Donnafugata Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria DOC 2022
Donnafugata
Ben Ryé is Italy's most celebrated passito, made from Zibibbo grapes sun-dried on the wind-blasted volcanic island of Pantelleria. The heat of the African-influenced climate concentrates sugars, but Donnafugata's meticulous winemaking preserves acidity and freshness. A dessert wine that transcends the category.
Domaine Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé 2022
Domaine Leflaive
Domaine Leflaive's Mâcon-Verzé is a masterclass in value from one of Burgundy's most respected white wine producers. The biodynamic farming and careful winemaking bring a precision to Mâconnais Chardonnay that elevates it well beyond its appellation. For those priced out of Puligny, this is the door in.
Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume 2022
Domaine William Fèvre
This is essence before ornament made manifest in a glass. Where many Chablis producers chase richness or oak influence, William Fèvre's Fourchaume 2022 trusts the terroir to do the talking. The Kimmeridgian fossil-studded limestone shines through with uncompromising clarity. Alongside the issue's other selections — the unadorned honesty of Old Bardstown Estate, the single-estate purity of Tequila Ocho, the stripped-back integrity of Benromach Organic — this Chablis reminds us that the most eloquent wines are those that get out of the way of what the earth has already said.