4 | Wine | White, Rhone Misc, 2011

"Yellow gold, clear and brilliant. Freshness marked by the distinctive aromas of Viognier; white flowers, apricot, acacia and white peach. Fruity with plenty of richness and body. A well-rounded wine with elegance, strength and balance."

"The Chardonnay de l'Ardèche 2011 has a lovely golden yellow colour with green reflections. It reveals an attractive nose with notes of white flowers. It is a powerful and balanced wine, rich in alcohol with a nice acidity on the finish. It has a lovely length in the mouth."

"It comes across as a top-flight white Chateauneuf du Pape rather than a less expensive Costieres de Nimes. Light gold in color, with an extraordinary nose of vivid honeysuckle, candle wax, marmalade and tropical fruit, the wine is elegant, has good acidity, and wonderful freshness, but a surprisingly intense, full-bodied mouthfeel. Following a tasting, I had this wine with Maryland soft shell crabs, and it was an exquisite marriage." Reviewed by Robert Parker