Chateau de Plaisance 'Ronceray'

In a past that was not so long ago, i went on a trip to France - some friends joined for part of it. We ate, drank, laughed - ya know, we had a really good time. When we parted ways (me to a biz trip and them to fun!!), i said “hey if you find any good wine, lemme know”. I’d say I was joking but actually I wasn't. My friends and I don't always agree about wine but when we do, YES PLEASE.

Ok so then i got a text message (can’t remember exact timing) with some pictures of wines they loved - like really, really loved. Sooo I did some research and the wines were kinda/ sorta available in Seattle and well, this is where things get complicated.

To save you from all the drudgery of the complications, I'll just say that a very old wine family had very recently (in french time, that’s like 5-10 years ago) sold to an amazing young lady. The young lady is who made the wines that my friends really, really liked but it was the old wine family wines that were in Seattle.

ooofff - long way around to say that when the wines made by Vanessa (afore-mentioned young lady) were finally here in Seattle, I jumped at the chance to taste them!

And let me tell you - holy toledo!! So freaking good!!! So, I’m crushing on one of them for today’s crush but if you see any Plaisance wines, do yourself a favor and just buy it! Not only are all the wines clean & beautiful but Vanessa is a wonderful soul who deserves all the support and love!!

So now the Plaisance that is blowing my mind this week – Ronceray! the name ‘Ronceray’ is given to the dry whites created in the Chaume Premier Cru and Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru appellation. AOC rules and regulations we’ve talked about before – simply put, this one is a region named in tribute to the nuns of the Ronceray abbey who planted and vinified the vines during the 11th century.

Well, this Ronceray does not disappoint and is in fact, mind-blowing!! Manually/ hand-harvested grapes are destemmed then fermented and aged in old Burgundy barrels for a year or so. The stunning richness from both the barrel & the lees contact is balanced by the gorgeous lemon-y acidity and minerality from the soil. Vanessa’s light hand shows in the way she lets the grapes showcase their true nature - GD, chenin can be so stunning when allowed!

This is a wine to decant and enjoy (yes even whites can be decanted!). Don’t drink it too cold or you’ll miss some of the nuance! Drink the first few sips with no pairings to get the vibes…. and if you want to pair it with a meal - ceviche of any kind would be awesome! Herby roasted chicken with potatoes would be just as good!

And tbh - this wine could age probably up to 10+ years so ponder on that! And pick up an extra bottle for later!!