Michel Tardieu's future might have seemed perfectly mapped out, when he was working as a civil servant and tending vineyards in the Rhone Valley in his spare time. But in 1996 he decided to take a giant leap and concentrate on his passion by going into partnership with Burgundy wine négociant Dominique Laurent. Together, they established Maison Tardieu-Laurent in Loumarin in the heart of Michel's native Provence. Since then, they have both worked hard to track down the best vineyard plots in the Rhone terroir. And thanks to a meticulous and skilful barrel-maturing process they produce wines with excellent ageing potential. Today, Michel Tardieu still works as a négociant and consultant oenologist but has been joined in the business by his children Bastien and Camille.

This white Châteauneuf comes from soils dominated by sandy clay, south-facing. Harvested in the early morning so as not to have to cool the harvest, the grapes are pressed and spend the night in static cold débourbage. Some of the Roussanes (about 10% of the total) will be aged in new barrels and the rest in stainless steel vats. The Roussanes are particularly expressive, showcasing aromas of exotic fruit, peach and apricot.