Les Halos de Jupiter Chateauneuf-du-Pape Adrastee 2009
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Wine Spectator
Still dark and reticent, with a sleek graphite frame to the reserved core of fig paste, black currant preserves and espresso. Alluring bittersweet cocoa and anise notes cut through the finish, which has well-embedded acidity. Combines modern fruit with dark, brooding structure. Needs to stretch out in the cellar.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Adrastee (100% Grenache) reveals more licorice, lavender, plum, fig and kirsch characteristics in its full-bodied, sumptuous personality. More open-knit and forward than the 2010...
According to poets, Jupiter (Zeus in Greek) is the father, the king of all gods and humans. He rules on mount Olympus and his power is such that he can shake the entire universe by a simple nod of the head. He also represents the spiritual world, organizes the exterior world and is the god of all physical, moral and social rules. According to Mircea Eliade, he is the archetypical head of a patriarchal family.
To Les Halos de Jupiter, Grenache is the king of all grapes and the natural leader of all Rhone varietals. The halo symbolizes the appellations that best express its personality.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.
According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.
Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.
The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.