# Crozes-Hermitage Blanc (2024)

- **Producer:** Domaine Dard et Ribo
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Roussanne, Marsanne
- **Region:** Rhône, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €47
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** peach, apricot, blossom, violet, butter

## About this wine

Domaine Dard et Ribo was established in 1984 near Mercurol by René-Jean Dard and François Ribo, who met in wine school as teenagers. Early champions of natural viticulture in the Northern Rhône, they dedicate roughly 35% of their production to white wines—substantially higher than the regional average of 10%—driven by their personal passion for the style. Sourced from vines planted in 1986 in the Crozes-Hermitage appellation on soils of red clay, gravelly alluvium, and granite, their wines are celebrated globally for their freshness, purity, and vibrant drinkability.

## Interesting facts

- White wine accounts for 35% of Dard et Ribo's output, compared to the regional Rhône average of just 10%.
- Founders René-Jean Dard and François Ribo met in Beaune wine school in their late teens before establishing their estate in 1984.
- The cuvée is produced with zero added additives, unfined and unfiltered, making it highly sought-after among natural wine collectors.

## Food pairing

The medium-plus weight and lively acidity of this white Northern Rhône blend match exceptionally well with delicate poultry, fresh seafood, and rich white sauces. Its stone fruit aromatics and textured palate pair seamlessly with soft sheep and goat cheeses without overwhelming them.

## Wine making process

Farmed organically and biodynamically without synthetic inputs, the grapes are harvested manually at low yields. Winemaking follows a natural hands-off philosophy, using gentle direct pressing and spontaneous fermentation driven entirely by native yeasts without oenological additives. The wine ages on fine lees for approximately 12 months in a combination of neutral 228-liter oak barrels and 600-liter demi-muids. It is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with zero to minimal added sulfur.