Penrose Hill Firstleaf La Douleur Exquise Review

If you like white wine but are tired of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanc is the next grape for you to get to know. As with all wines, not all Grenache Blanc is created equal, but most are very good.

Wine review by: Jessyca Frederick

La Douleur Exquise

I did not photograph the back of this bottle.

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About this Wine

Wine: 2020 La Douleur Exquise
Blend: 100% Grenache Blanc
Region: Pays d’Oc IGP, France
Retail price: $28 / Member price: $14.99
I consumed it: September 2022
My source: Firstleaf

Discover More

From this wine club: Firstleaf

From this winery: Penrose Hill Firstleaf

Region: France

Wine color/style: White wine

Grape variety or blend: Grenache blanc

Tasting notes: Slightly sweet, Bright, Food friendly

La Douleur Exquise: What I think

The Pays d’Oc region in France sits at the very bottom of the Rhone River delta as it empties out into the Mediterranean Sea.

Styria (known as Steiermark in Austria) is having a moment in the wine world. The region is becoming well-known among natural wine enthusiasts, a group known for coveting anything unusual in addition to wines that adhere to the loose principles of what it means to be natural wine.

This example from Firstleaf is an absolute steal at the $15 member price. This particular example was a touch sweet, more so than I’m used to, but had excellent acidity to balance the sugar, making it very approachable and food friendly.

If you like white wine but are tired of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Blanc is the next grape for you to get to know. As with all wines, not all Grenache Blanc is created equal, but most are very good.

Last updated: August 2, 2023

Notice: I hold no formal wine credentials. I am a wine geek who has consumed 1000+ of bottles from 100+ different wine clubs and 1000s more bottles that didn’t come from those wine clubs. I do not accept payment for wine reviews, and I do not accept payments to influence my opinions. I happily accept free wine (and I buy wine).

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