Louis Chèze : Pagus Luminis 2024

Characteristics and tasting notes of Pagus Luminis 2024 by Louis Chèze

Tasting

Colour
The colour reveals a beautiful yellow hue illuminated by golden highlights, offering remarkable brilliance and great clarity.

Nose
The nose opens with delicate notes of white flowers and vine peach. It is enriched with fruity nuances evoking yellow apple, apricot, nectarine and citrus zest, subtly complemented by touches of honeysuckle and chamomile.

Palate
The attack is direct, revealing a supple texture and a generous volume. The finish stands out with a lovely mineral persistence, bringing saline and stony sensations that perfectly balance the wine's aromatic richness.

Food and wine pairing

Ideal as an aperitif, this white wine pairs wonderfully with seafood, raw oysters or delicate fish. It also goes very well with roast poultry in cream sauce, dishes flavoured with fresh herbs such as tarragon or chervil, as well as a platter of matured cheeses.

Service and storage

For optimal tasting, it is recommended to serve this wine at a temperature between 8 and 11°C, without prior decanting in order to preserve its floral aromas. Approachable already in its youth, it can also be cellared for further ageing and enjoyed until around 2033.

The aromatic richness and minerality of a Condrieu white wine

The estate

Founded in 1978 by Louis Chèze, a self-taught winemaker, the eponymous estate started out with just one hectare and has since grown to around 45 hectares today. Located on the hillsides of Limony, in the heart of the northern Rhône Valley, the estate is renowned for its plot-by-plot approach and sustainable viticulture. Today, the founder's children have taken over: Benoît oversees the work in the vineyards while Camille handles administration and sales. The Louis Chèze estate is recognised for its respect for terroir and the quality of its cuvées.

The vineyard

The Pagus Luminis cuvée comes from a historic two-hectare plot located on the heights of the hills of Limony, benefiting from an ideal south-facing exposure. The Viognier vines, around 25 years old, grow on steep slopes that require staking with échalas, a traditional method of the Condrieu appellation. The shallow, stony soils are composed of granite and leucocratic migmatite, forcing the roots to dig deep and giving the wine its distinctive minerality.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes are hand-harvested in small crates, with rigorous sorting both in the vineyard and on a vibrating sorting table. After gentle pressing and cold settling, both alcoholic and malolactic fermentations take place in one- to two-wine oak barrels. Ageing lasts 8 to 10 months with regular lees stirring to keep the lees in suspension, adding texture and complexity. The wine is finally bottled in a single batch, without any filtration.

Grape variety

Viognier (100%).