Winemaker Notes
The 2015 vintage, with exceptional climatic conditions, allowed the grenache to fully express itself. Dominant aromas of red fruits enhanced by a woody touch from the barrel-contained Syrah grapes. A great taste of red fruits, leather and undergrowth. The tannins are harmonious and elegant. Long finish in the mouth allowing for even more complex aromas of undergrowth, leather ... the wine allies strength and elegance, complexity of secondary aromas while keeping a fruity freshness.
Pair with red meat and game.
Blend: 70% Grenache, 17% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and 3% Cinsault.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
André Brunel's Les Cailloux has been a staple over the years, so it was great to see the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape shine in my big blind tasting. The blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and 5% Cinsault hasn't changed much, nor has the élevage, almost entirely in cuves béton (concrete vats). This full-bodied wine displays scents of cracked pepper and clove, bright raspberry and cherry fruit, and firm, classically built tannins that turn silky on the long finish. It should drink well for up to 20 years.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2015 Lucien et André Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a sleek and excellent example from this AOC. TASTING NOTES: This wine is fresh, lively, and satisfying. Pair its aromas and flavors of pert red fruit and earth with a slow-cooked beef stew. (Tasted: September 9, 2019, San Francisco, CA)
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.