2022 Villa Blanche Chardonnay, Calmel & Joseph, Languedoc-Roussillon, France, Pays d'Oc IGP

Founded in 1995, Calmel & Joseph is a trading house specializing in Languedoc-Roussillon wines from private wineries from across the region. Over the years, they have built close personal relationships with a large number of growers from all appellations. Convinced of the extraordinary potential of this region, oenologist, Laurent Calmel, and Jerome Joseph work together on the vinification, blending and ageing of wines with the common purpose of demonstrating the little known yet unique quality of these Mediterranean terroirs.

This wine has been produced on a soil composed of volcanic sediments, clay and limestone.
The climate is typically Mediterranean, warm and sunny with low rainfall. Winters are mild, summers are hot and the usual dry conditions ensure that the grapes ripen fully. Vines are ploughed; no weed killer is used. Pruning is short to regulate the vine's growth and its yields.

The grapes are picked at night, in two passes. The first harvest is done at a relatively early stage in maturity, to keep freshness in the wine. Then 15 days later a second harvest is done, to get good concentration and varietal aromas. Grapes are destemmed and then macerated at 5°C for 4 hours.

Fermentation is temperature controlled at 15°C.

Aged for three months in oak barrels (30% of the vintage).