Pierre Gonon Vin de France Chasselas 2020

**** John Livingstone-Learmonth (The Cradle of The Rhône): "(99% Chasselas (1890s, 1900s, planted by Raymond Trollat’s grandfather, crop sold until the 1980s, when one year RT couldn’t sell the harvest, so vinified it, hence used to go into R Trollat St Jo blanc), 1% Marsanne, Folle Blanche, Riesling from gneiss, decomposed granite soils 50 cm deep before the hard rock, on 5 terraces on Aubert at St Jean de Muzols, fermented at 20°-21°C, raised used 228-litre oak casks 12 months, malo completed, 1-2 casks per year, first wine 2011, “we did a massale selection x 250 holes to replant and repaired the wall, so decided not to take the vines out, the poor soils mean the Chasselas avoids being flabby”, much sold to Kermit Lynch in CA, USA, 304-608 b). (cask, bottling Dec 2021) shiny yellow robe; the nose gives orange marmalade, lemon curd airs, ginger snap. The palate serves attractive, wavy orange-tinted richness, spearmint on the second half. There’s good late freshness, a note of tannin. It’s fluid, will show well in a large balloon glass, the palate having nice intricacy, not all revealed, plum, peach, tobacco in the flavour. It’s a serious wine with character. Harvested 26 Aug 2020. 11.5°. 2030-32 July 2021."