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Château Rives-Blanques
Website: https://www.rives-blanques.com/
Rives-Blanques is in every way a family business! Jan and Caryl Panman are the driving force behind the success of the winery and have worked closely with the winery's previous oenologist and experts in the Limoux region to really learn their terroir. Their committed harvest team return year after year and the Panman family have a widespread reputation for their warm, welcoming hospitality.
The vineyards of Rives Blanques sit 350 meters above sea level beneath the breath-taking views of the Pyrenees Mountains. Jan and Caryl named the winery after Peak Rives-Blanque as the same quartz soils of the mountain are found in the vineyards along with dolomite limestone, Eocene molasse and other complex soil elements. The vines are surrounded by a nature reserve which boasts its biodiversity of plant life aiding their pest and disease control. Jan, Caryl and their team also follow many organic practices despite not being officially certified organic.
The region of Limoux is located within the Pays d'oc region of France and is famed for its production of Blanquette de Limoux made from the ancient grape Mauzac. Mauzac only grows in Limoux and Gaillac, although some believe they are different varieties of the same family.
Blanquette de Limoux is recorded to be France's oldest sparkling wine and must be made with the Mauzac grape, a minimum of 90%. At Rives-Blanques all the harvests are picked by hand and for their still wines each parcel is kept separate during fermentation. Their wines are all fermented and aged in oak barrels with varying degrees of lees contact and batonnage. Rives-Blanques Blanquette de Limoux is 100% Mauzac, the first fermentation takes place in steel tanks and the second in bottle with typically 14 months aging on the lees.
Rives-Blanques have won multiple awards for their Blanques de Limoux and their still Occitania Mauzac Blanc. Rives-Blanques were one of the first vineyards to receive the Agriculture Raisonnee accreditation because of their commitment to environmental sustainability and ecological approach. At The Oxford Wine Company we are proud to stock a handful of Rives-Blanques wines including their Blanquette de Limoux and Occitania.
