Hilaire CDR Prestige Blanc 23

St. Hilaire d'Ozilhan is a village located in the Gard, a department between the Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Costières de Nîmes appellations. The sleepy hamlet comprises mainly vineyards dotted with medieval ruins on the hillsides.

The Co-op of Hilaire d'Ozilhan was established in 1929 to organize the village's wine production, and over the years, it's grown to 60 members. In 1956, the group was awarded the Côtes du Rhône appellation for their Prestige blends.

The Co-op is currently under the direction of winemaker René Blisson, and the property was recently awarded the certification of Agriculture Raisonnée for its nature-friendly and near-organic cultivation and winemaking.

The 2021 Prestige Blanc is a blend of 46% Grenache Blanc, 30% Viognier, 16.5% Clairette, and 7.5% Roussanne grown on marl soil with scattered sand and pebbles. In the glass, a lovely pale golden yellow color opens to a highly expressive floral nose with notes of citrus, melon, apple, and just a whisper of basil. The 2021 release is a bit richer and more expressive than the last vintage we received, making this a terrific white for grilled fish and chicken dishes.