La Ferme Rouge 'Le Blanc' 2022 750ml

MOROCCO : ZAËR

ORGANIC : Sauvignon Blanc

LIGHT-BODIED, WHITE PEACH, CITRUS, FLORAL, CHALK MINERAL, NO OAK

The Zaër region sits 45 km inland from the Atlantic, at 450 meters elevation — close enough to the ocean to feel its moderating influence through every stage of the growing season. Ancient soils here run deep: sands at the surface, red clay below, clay-ferric on limestone and shale underneath. Not the landscape most people imagine when they think of Morocco.

Château La Ferme Rouge dates to 1908. Winemaker Jacques Poulain, Bordeaux-trained and formerly of Domaine Ouled Thaleb, brought the estate back to serious production in 2009. The vines are 40 years old — old for Sauvignon Blanc anywhere, unusual for North Africa — farmed organically and dry, and harvested by hand.

Direct press into temperature-controlled concrete tanks, native yeast, low sulfites at bottling. The concrete preserves the floral and citrus aromatics that a warmer vessel or oak program would mute. Kosher (non-mevushal), vegan.

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