Chateau de Vaudieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape Val de Dieu 2017
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An uncompromising, philosopher's wine. This is a wine of great depth, powerful, dense and well bred that can be laid down for many years.
Blend: 60% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre
Val de Dieu, the name of the valley located in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and just to the east of the famed castle itself lends its name to the estate, Château de Vaudieu, as well as the cuvée made from the vines that are grown in this narrow valley. Val de Dieu starts near the entrance to the property where the heavier sandy clay, and more drought resistant soils benefit the growing of Mourvedre. It continues up a gentle rise where sandy limestone soils are planted with Syrah before cresting a gentle hill of decomposed sandstone soils and the Grenache vines planted in them. By combining these three varieties, each grown on terroirs suitable for their full expression, and each vinified to bring out their potential, Val de Dieu represents both the complexity of the site as well as the historical importance of the three main grape varieties of the region.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
A beauty, with creamy raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry fruit flavors gliding atop a polished structure, while anise, bergamot, fruitcake and cinnamon notes filter through on the finish like dappled morning light. Reveals a subtle minerally echo at the very end. Thoroughly beguiling. Best from 2020 through 2035.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Val De Dieu is always the most modern style wine in the lineup and in 2017 is a blend of 66% Grenache and 34% Syrah that had the Grenache brought up in demi-muids and the Syrah in new barrels. Deep, saturated purple-colored, with notes crème de cassis, ground pepper, bouquet garni, and crushed flowers, it's medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with subtle background oak and a great, great finish. It's another brilliant example of this cuvée that will benefit from short-term cellaring and cruise for 15 years or more.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of two-thirds Grenache (aged in demi-muids) and one-third Syrah (aged in new barriques), the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Val de Dieu features caramel and cherries up front, with interwoven hints of menthol and dark chocolate. Full-bodied, lush and long, it's supple enough to consume young, but it should drink well for at least a decade. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.
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Located about a five minute drive outside the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape along the road which leads to Courthezon you will find Chateau de Vaudieu. It is one of three 18th century Chateaux located in the appellation, tucked into a small valley surrounded by hills and plateau. It is at the intersection of several major terroirs: sandy soils to the north, along a border it shares with Chateau Rayas (one of the best wines in Chateauneuf-du-Pape but not actually a Chateau), pale limestone and clays centered around a forested hillock, and two large plateaux of the somewhat overexposed galets. In total there are 70 hectares within one contiguous estate – something very rare in the appellation.
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.