2018 Hermitage Blanc, La Pierelle, Château de Saint Cosme, Rhône

Marsanne is the predominant white grape variety grown in the Northern Rhône where it is used to produce white St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and Hermitage. It is a tricky grape to cultivate, being susceptible to diseases and being particularly sensitive to extreme climatic changes - if growing conditions are too cool, then it fails to ripen fully and produces thin, insipid wines, while, if too hot, the resultant wines are blowsy, overblown and out of balance.

Château de Saint Cosme is a historic and renowned winery in the Gigondas appellation, near the village of Gigondas, in the Southern Rhône Valley of France. The estate is one of the oldest wineries in the region, with a long and storied history dating back to the 16th century.