2014 Vignobles Molozay-Chateau de Vaux, Les Gryphees, Moselle White, France.
From the upper Moselle in France near Luxembourg comes this dynamic and beautifully detailed white, made from Muller-Thurgau, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and a tiny bit of Gewürztraminer that is dry vibrant and stylish. Marie-Genevieve and Norbert Molozay craft each grape on their own and then blend the results into this gorgeous white, all the vines are farmed biodynamic and the wines are fermented on their native yeasts. The Cotes de Moselle is a tiny area and these vines are on terraces of clay and chalky brown soils with good drainage and vigor making the wines intense and flavorful, this is one of the only French Moselle wines I’ve ever tried and I loved it and am grateful to Charles Neal who discovered it and is importing the Chateau de Vaux wines. The 2014 Chateau de Vaux by the Molozay husband and wife team starts with a delicate pale hue almost clear with a hint of gold and green and a mineral and white flower essence on the nose with subtle tropical and spice notes leading to a light to medium palate of green apple, white peach, lemon/lime and melon fruits along with a hint of apricot flesh and pit, some crushed stone, wet river rock/shale and oyster shell elements and hints of wild herbs, it finishes with smooth acidity and lingering exotic spice. This 12% white is crisp but mouth filling with sublime balance and pleasure, it provides joyous summer sipping and plays well with most cuisine, though it should prove divine with seafood, especially mussels or white fish, drink the beauty from Chateau de Vaux over the next 3 to 5 years!
($18 Est.) 93 Points, grapelive
