Delmas Limoux Limoux Le Passeur Blanc
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The Domaine Delmas Le Passeur Limoux Blanc is an organic, still white wine from the Limoux appellation in the Haute Vallée of the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France.
- The grapes come from high-altitude plots (around 400m-480m) with clay-limestone soils, which benefit from cooler temperatures and help maintain acidity.
- The wine is matured on lees for 12 months, which contributes to its complex texture and aromas.
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Elaboration: Hand harvest grapes in small cases, followed by soft pressing for juice extraction. Select the best quality, “cuvée A,” and settle. First fermentation occurs in oak barrels, with 12 months of maturation on lees and barrel selection.
Tasting Notes: The nose is opening on smoky notes, then is showing a large aroma complexity: white flowers and vineyard peach. The mouth is revealing a nice smoothness, richness with the volume of a concentrated wine, enlivened by a tension, chiseled and straight.
PRESS
2020 – 97 Jeb Dunnuck
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Domaine Delmas has long been considered a reference point for Limoux bubbles and the house is operated by Bernard Delmas, his wife Marlene, and their son Baptiste.
Bernard Delmas was a well-known chef before returning to Limoux to run his family’s business, and Bernard has made many improvements at Delmas over the years, most notably a conversion to organic farming (Delmas was the first organically certified producer in Limoux back in 1986) and the expansion of their vineyard holdings (all high elevation in the mountains that circle the town) from 3 to 32 hectares,
Aging in bottle goes well beyond the established Limoux standards – Wines spend up to 36 months on lees and this is very apparent when one puts a glass of Bernard’s cuvees to his/her nose.