July Premium Six Pack 2023 - Le Tour Premium Whites

Castera Jurancon Sec 2021

STAGE 5 PAU > LARUNS 163km

Franck Lihour is a relative newcomer with only his first vintage in 2014. But within a short amount of time, he has lifted his family's estate, Domaine Castera, to be one of the top producers of Jurançon. His ability to tame the searing acidity with concentrated fruit while keeping the wines bone dry and without ever losing any balance is exceptional. His work in the vineyard, slow & long pressing, time in old neutral oak and use of whole clusters the key to maintaining the knife edge wines he has endeared his fans with.

Waxy citrus, pear and white orchard fruit entice you in while a gentle floral lilt and softly spice nose keep you coming back for more. The palate is refined and electric, with a long, slightly leesy finish, that seems to build and build in on its self as you continue to sip it. This is at once luxurious and broad that seems to paint the flavours across your palate while sitting up, fresh and bright on a web of tightly woven acidity. Very cool!

STAGE 7 MONTE-DE-MARSAN > BORDEAUX 170km

The Chateau la Caussade wines are grown on the typical clay-limestone soil of southern Bordeaux with fossilized oysters in subsoil that give it the minerally freshness and firm fruit. A blend of 96 % Sauvignon 4% Semillon its fermented in stainless steel tanks with some extend macerations and long ageing on lees with frequent stirring.

The team at Caussade have done a wonderful job of building texture and weight into this wine while keeping all the beautiful fresh and mineral laden fruit at the core. The lemon and pepper hit from the semillon at lovely little accents here and there wine flows with fresh apple, citrus and soft peach notes. A little wild herb on the finish just adds another dimension.

STAGE 15 LES GETS LES PORTES DE SOLEIL > SAINT-GERVAIS MONT BLANC 179km

Located at the foothills of the Bauges massif, and bordering neighbouring Switzerland and Valle d'Aosta in Italy, the organically farmed vineyards of Domaine Adrien Berlioz in the Savoie region are as picturesque as you might imagine.

Berlioz took over the family vineyards in 2006, two hectares located near a small village called Chignin at 390m above sea level. With plenty of hard work alongside the pursuit of purity and a certified biodynamic approach to farming, he has grown the vineyard to 5 hectares, transforming it into one of the region's most prestigious domaines.

Lively and electric on the palate, leading with notes of ripe green apple and pear. It's a rich and intensely textured wine, with charming acidity and length to complete the package. There's qualities here similar to a Loire Chenin Blanc, but the combination of the Jacquare with the magic touch and power from the Altesse is really something unique!

STAGE 18 MOUTIERS > BOURG-EN-BRESSE 185km

Golden colour. Deep and honeyed, grilled cashew and white flower aromatic. Fruit spectrum dances around the orchard and something slightly more exotic with a puff of white smoke putting a complexing note into the conversation. The palate follows suits with a lovely attack of sweet citrus and melon fruits spreading across the palate before a blast of limestone-linked austerity and tension pulls everything back into line. It's a wine I just loved drinking. you get Macon generosity and enjoyment alongside enough tension on the backend to keep you wanting another glass. This guys is a "watch-this-space" producer. MICHAEL MCNAMARA, PWS

STAGE 20 BELFORT > LE MARKSTEIN FELLERING 173km

Intensely rich nose. Very biodynamic - such power and interest! This really grabs the taste buds and wrestles them into submission. Yes, ok, you're a great wine - I give in! Persistent layers of something both floral and mineral. JANCIS ROBINSON MW

STAGE 21 - FINALE! - SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES > PARIS CHAMPS-ELYSEES

Disgorged in June 2019, Vilmart's latest NV Brut Premier Cru Grande Réserve is showing beautifully, bursting with aromas of pear, wheat toast, yeast extract and confit citrus. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and complete, it's fleshy and enveloping, with a fleshy core of fruit, tangy acids and a pillowy mousse. While it's already showing well it will also age with grace. Derived from the 2017 vintage and complemented by reserve wines from 2015 and 2016, it was disgorged with nine grams per liter dosage. WILLIAM KELLEY, The Wine Advocate