Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Similar in color to the classic white, the 2013 Châteauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is deeper and richer, with more viscosity, glycerin and minerality. Loaded with notes of buttered citrus, flowers, orange marmalade and crushed-rock nuances, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied power, juicy, lively acidity and terrific length. Like the classic white, this does not go through malolactic fermentation, but sees slightly more oak (some new) in its élevage, which always gives it slightly more richness, as well as hints of vanilla in its youth. It’s unquestionably the greatest white wine coming from the Southern Rhône, and while I prefer to drink it in its first 4-6 years, it can evolve for decades.
-
Wine Spectator
Ripe and bright, with gorgeous creamed peach, pear and ginger notes forming the core, while verbena, chamomile and honeysuckle accents create the frame. Lush through the finish, where a light salted butter hint emerges. Drink now through 2023. 500 cases made.
Full and silky in body but also charmingly crisp, Roussanne is native to the Rhône Valley of France. It is responsible for some of the finest Northern Rhône white wines. Roussanne adds richness and acidity to Marsanne’s soft, fruitiness, making age worthy and highly respected whites. Somm Secret—Roussanne takes its name from the French word, roux, meaning rouge or red because of the berry’s pink glow. In California, virtually all of the 339 acres of Roussanne come from true clones brought over by Tablas Creek and John Alban.
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.