Domaine Chante Cigale, located within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, has been owned and operated by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. Consisting of 102 acres of land classified Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the wines produced are considered as classic, well made, reasonably priced Châteauneufs. Recently Christian Favier the father released the reins to his son, Alexandre, who is fast becoming new rising star of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Despite only being in thirties, he has been lauded by notable journalists such as Jancis Robinson, UK. Despite Chateauneuf being known for its red wine production, the area also crafts award winning white wines. The Domaine Chante Cigale produces five times more white wine than the other producers in Châteauneuf and its Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc has won several gold medals in Orange and Paris.

The Rhône Valley, stretching from Lyon to the Mediterranean, is one of France’s most diverse and historic wine regions. Divided into the Northern and Southern Rhône, it offers a wide range of climates, soils, and wine styles.

The Northern Rhône has a continental climate with steep, terraced vineyards on granite and schist soils. This area is renowned for Syrah, the only permitted red grape, producing deeply coloured, age-worthy wines with flavours of blackberry, black pepper, olives, and smoke. Notable appellations include Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage, and Cornas. Whites here, made from Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne, are rich, floral, and full-bodied. The best example is Condrieu.

The Southern Rhône enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and a variety of soils, including limestone, sand, and the famous galets roulés (rounded stones). Blends dominate here, with Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre forming the backbone of reds that are generous, spicy, and fruit-forward. Côtes du Rhône is the largest AOC, known for easy-drinking, fruity styles. Flagship appellations include Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Vacqueyras, producing rich and powerful wines.

Viognier is a distinctive white grape variety known for its aromatic intensity and rich, full-bodied wines. Originally from the northern Rhône Valley in France, particularly the appellations of Condrieu and Château-Grillet, Viognier has gained international recognition for its unique floral and stone fruit character.

Viticulturally, Viognier can be challenging to grow. It’s prone to low yields, sensitive to mildew, and requires careful vineyard management to balance ripeness and retain acidity. It thrives in warm, sunny climates where it can fully develop its aromatics without becoming overly alcoholic or flabby.

Today, Viognier is planted in several key wine regions around the world, including the Languedoc in southern France, California’s Central Coast, Virginia and Washington State in the USA, South Australia, South Africa, and parts of Chile and Argentina. It’s often made as a varietal wine but is also blended—famously with Syrah in Côte-Rôtie to enhance aroma and texture.

Viognier typically produces lush, aromatic wines with low to moderate acidity and high alcohol. Common flavours include apricot, peach, honeysuckle, orange blossom, and sometimes exotic spices. Styles range from unoaked and fresh to rich, barrel-aged versions with creamy texture. Viognier is a compelling choice for lovers of expressive, aromatic whites.

Grenache Blanc is the white-skinned variant of the red Grenache (Garnacha) grape and is believed to have originated in northeastern Spain. Today, it is widely planted in southern France, particularly in the Languedoc and southern Rhône Valley, and is also grown in Spain (as Garnacha Blanca), South Africa, California, and increasingly in Australia.

This variety thrives in warm, dry climates and is often used in blends, particularly in white Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône wines, where it adds body, texture, and freshness. It is frequently blended with Roussanne, Marsanne, and Viognier, but varietal expressions are also growing in popularity.

Grenache Blanc typically produces medium- to full-bodied wines with moderate acidity and a generous texture. Aromas often include green apple, pear, citrus peel, and stone fruits, along with herbal or floral notes such as fennel, white flowers, and occasionally a hint of saline minerality. With age or oak influence, it can develop richer, honeyed and nutty characteristics.

Viticulturally, Grenache Blanc is drought-tolerant and productive, making it well-suited to hot, arid environments. However, it can be prone to oxidation if not handled carefully in the cellar. Maintaining freshness and balance is key, especially in warmer climates where acidity may drop quickly as ripeness advances.

Picpoul de Pinet is the flagship white of the central Languedoc, drawn exclusively from Piquepoul Blanc vines rooted around the Étang de Thau lagoon, west of Montpellier. The Mediterranean climate is warm and sun-drenched, yet moderated by cooling sea breezes and the tramontane wind, which keeps canopies dry and disease pressure low. Soils are mainly limestone and sandy, gravelly terraces with pockets rich in fossilised shells, lending a distinctly saline, mineral edge.

Piquepoul is late-ripening and naturally high in acidity—hence its nickname “lip-stinger”. It thrives on well-drained calcareous sites where careful canopy management preserves aromatics and avoids sunburn. Thin skins make it sensitive to powdery mildew and botrytis in humid spells, and drought stress can be a challenge in hotter, drier vintages, so balanced yields and vigilant vineyard work are key.

While its spiritual home is Pinet, small plantings of Piquepoul have spread to southern France beyond the appellation and to experimental sites in the United States and Australia, where producers prize its freshness in warm climates.

The style is typically crisp, bright and unoaked, fermented in stainless steel to showcase purity. Expect zesty lemon and lime, green apple and pear, white blossom and fennel, with a mouth-watering saline snap and clean, dry finish. Texturally it is light to medium-bodied, with moderate alcohol and a refreshing, maritime feel. Picpoul de Pinet is made for seafood—oysters and shellfish in particular—offering a compelling mix of coastal vibrancy, mineral poise and excellent value.