Mas Carlot White Cuvée Tradition
Costières de Nîmes, Rhône
2009
NEWA charming blend of Marsanne, Rousanne and Viognier from the western edge of the River Rhône. We tasted it along with a very good white Chateauneuf-du-Pape, inevitably costing much more, and it held its own. A perfect respite from the ubiquity of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Fantastic value—Robert Parker agrees with us—and destined to be one of our best selling wines.
Recommend this wine to a friend
The Press
"I tried this alongside a plate of oysters instead of the more usual muscadet, sancerre or chablis and it worked an absolute treat. Blended from equal parts of marsanne and roussanne with a dash of viognier, it has bags of fruity character with a firm, almost savoury backbone. A hugely satisfying change to chardonnay or sauvignon."—Jonathan Ray, The Daily Telegraph, May 2010
Our tasting notes
Fresh and lively with ripe tropical fruits and pear, good minerality and hints of spice. Lovely long refreshing finish. A very classy wine at this price.Wine data
Grape variety: 45% Marsanne, 45% Rousanne, 10% ViognierAppellation: AOC Costières de Nîmes
Alcohol: 12.5%
About Mas Carlot and Costières de Nîmes
Mas Carlot is situated in the south of the Rhône Valley, extending across 76 hectares of pebbly land southeast of Nîmes. Originally a 17th century farm, this beautiful estate was resurrected in the 1960's by the Blanc family—it is currently run by Natalie Blanc-Mares and her husband, Cyril Mares of the neigbouring and equally reputable property, Mas Bressades. The appellation of Costières de Nîmes used to be considered part of eastern Languedoc but the climate, soil, topography and wine are far closer to those just over the river in the Southern Côtes du Rhône. It is a region with an ancient and glorious viticultural past dating back to the Greeks, who planted the first vines there. The Romans then developed this into a burgeoning wine trade whilst building the Pont du Gard and the amphitheatres of Nîmes and Arles. Over the last ten years this region has undergone a transformation that has witnessed the emergence of a younger generation of innovative and modern wine growers who are generally producing smaller yields and far better quality wine. It is now a region very much on the up and is widely recognized as a great source of excellent value wine.
Prices are all-inclusive for deliveries to UK mainland and Northern Ireland. Minimum total order is 1 case (12 bottles of 75cl equivalent) for the UK and 2 cases (24 bottles of 75cl equivalent) for Northern Ireland, Highlands and islands. We also offer a collection service for our French wines from just outside Calais, France (minimum of 5 cases from the same producer and excluding mixed cases), at a per-bottle saving of £1.50 for wines and £2.00 for Champagne, and a per-case saving of £18 for wine, £24 per 12-case/£12 per 6-case for Champagne. For details, please read our Delivery/Collection Information and Terms & Conditions.
