Vine age: 100 years old. Vineyards: From the Gallimardes, a single vineyard in the south of the appellation. Aging: In stainless steel except for Roussane which is aged in barrels for 6 months.
Of the 8 hectares of old vines that Marie and François Giraud farm in Galimardes, a rocky and red clay soil on the road between the villages Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Sorgues, 1 hectare are white varieties – roughly equal parts Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne and Bourboulenc. Each variety is harvested exactly when it is ripe and is gently pressed into tank except the Roussanne which is fermented in French oak demi-muids. After 6 months of aging Marie assembles the final blend. Due to the age of the vines the exact blend changes from vintage to vintage as does the quantity of wine bottled.
93 points, "I think the finest vintage to date, the 2013 Châteauneuf du Pape les Gallimardes Blanc is a knockout blend of equal parts Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne and Bourboulenc that was aged all in stainless steel, except for Roussanne, which spent six months in barrel. Showing beautiful richness and depth, with notions of buttered nectarine, citrus, brioche, white flowers and tinges of minerality, this full-bodied, unctuous and layered white builds nicely in the glass and has a great mix of richness and freshness." - Wine Advocate