ST. JULIEN D’AILLE | Palatium | Blanc de Blancs | Brut | 2014
sauvignon blanc | viognier | semillon | rolle
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Today we are going to review a very special sparkling wine from southern France – Palatium Blanc de Blancs Brut 2014 by Château Saint Julien d’Aille. It is special because this is a veridic crémant wine, that was made using the authentic méthode traditionelle technique, but with the sauvignon blanc, viognier, semillon and rolle grapes varieties instead of the traditional champagne varieties, with manual bottle remuage and a total of 12 months ‘sur lie’ ageing. Due to long term second fermentation in the bottle and further bottle maturation, the wine develops creaminess on the palate and noble dairy flavours. But enough theory – without further ado let’s move on, straight to the tasting!
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Take a look at the tasting notes below and our detailed assessment of the wine:
Visual
Pale, straw-yellow color with topaz-yellowish hues towards the rim of the glass.
Olfactory
The nose is strong, filled mostly with sweet fruits and citrus flavours: white apple, lemon, quince, white pear, pomelo, gooseberry, apricot, white peach, acacia blossom, avocado, butter, crème brûlée, brie cheese, french baguette, lees and some hints of peanuts.
Gustatory
The wine is dry, with strong alcohol level, high acidity and rough tannin. It tastes yeasty, sharp and quite austere, with a nuanced citrusy-seedy accent. This is a firm, angular and green crémant wine with nuanced bitterness on the mouthfeel and rough tannins. The wine has a fair overall balance, as it feels quite aggressive and sharp towards the end.
Aftertaste
The wine has a medium finish and a rough aftertaste, that makes it taste sharp and ustere.
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This is definitely a good wine of France and, with a total of 89.9 points scored, this wine is right there, among the best wines we’ve rated so far. Check our complete database on the wine rating page, where you can find all the wines that we have tasted and reviewed or go to the about us page and find out more about our exquisite rating system.
Conclusion: this is a quite angular and austere crémant wine that is just around the corner of its prime form and on the verge of decline: rough, seedy and yeasty, with a nuanced fruity-citrusy profile and a bitter accent. It definitely lacks harmony and finesse on the mouthfeel, as it feels quite sharp and aggressive. We would recommend to drink it now, as this wine is definitely past its prime and not really meant for long term bottle ageing. In order to counter-balance its angularity, we would recommend to pair this wine with creamy dishes that are rich in flavours, like for example avocado and goat cheese toasted bruschetta or arugula, pear and blue cheese salad. Cheers!
WineStatistics tasting results:
ST. JULIEN D’AILLE
Palatium | Blanc de Blancs | Brut | 2014
grape: | sauvignon blanc | viognier | semillon | rolle |
overall rating: | 89.9 |
maturity: on the decline
conclusion: good | (recommended)
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© The WineStatistics ratings are based solely on our own knowledge of the world of wine and on our personal wine tastes, which may, or may not, differ from yours – the reader. Just remember that there are no absolutes of right and wrong in wine appreciation.
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