Winemaker Notes
Dominant aromas of red fruits enhanced by touches of wood from the barrel with hints of leather and underbrush. Harmonious and elegant tannins and the long finish allowing for even more expression of the aromas and flavors.
Blend: 70% Grenache, 17% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 3% Cinsault
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Shows the bay leaf, menthol and tea profile of this cooler vintage, as those notes emerge from the core of lightly mulled cherry, blood orange and raspberry fruit. Gentle cedar threads hold the finish, along with a flash of shiso leaf. A solid effort. Best from 2019 through 2030.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2014 Châteauneuf du Pape is an outstanding, forward and charming effort that makes the most of the vintage. Made from 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and 5% Cinsault, the wine was aged 90% in concrete tanks and the rest in very old barrels. Its medium ruby color is followed by perfumed notes of strawberries, black raspberries, leather and wild herbs, and this medium-bodied, balanced 2014 can be enjoyed anytime through 2024.
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.