2008 Les Cascailles Blanc, Domaine Clavel, Coteaux du Languedoc

Overlooking a vast music venue, Pierre Clavel's umbrella pine-dotted vineyards in La Méjanelle (coveted sub-region of the Côteaux du Languedoc) often reverberate with rock. Happily, Pierre's slopes are weighted down by reddish 'galets roulés': the same 'storage heating' cobblestones found in Châteauneuf. With its freely-draining soils and rot-repelling maritime breezes, the estate's vines yield exemplary wines. Pierre ferments all his varieties together, believing this creates more harmonious blends. Made from equal parts of Roussanne Grenache Blanc and Rolle with a hint of Carignan Blanc. The grapes are harvested at night and the winemaking process sees next to no sulphur being used. Fresh but full flavoured with a touch of herbs.