Chateau Saint-Roch Chimeres 2016
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Parker
Robert -
Spirits
Wine & - Decanter
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Blend: 40% Black Grenache, 30% Syrah, 30% Carignan
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From yields as low as 15 hectoliters per hectare (less than half of the maximum allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape), the 2016 Chimeres is Grenache and Syrah, half aged in demi-muids, the other half in concrete tanks. The wine showcases red fruit (cherries and raspberries), which accent it with dried spices and a hint of dark chocolate. It's full-bodied and supple, with just the slightest suggestion of warmth on the finish. It's another great value from proprietor-winemaker Jean-Marc Lafage to drink over the next few years.
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Wine & Spirits
A blend of syrah, grenache and carignan, this packs a lot of complexity into a $19 wine. It’s tangy, earthy and sweet at once, with notes of bitter herbs, tea and game balancing the ripe blackberry fruit. Sun-soaked and firm, it will play well off the savory flavors of game birds or meaty mushrooms.
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Decanter
Toasty oak and lovely, lifted floral aromas, textured tannins and deep, dense fruit on palate. A big, bold wine.
Other Vintages
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Jeb -
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Parker
Robert
Recently purchased by Jean Marc Lafage, Chateau Saint Roch is located in the Maury Area of the Agly Valley, which is 15 miles from Perpignan and the Mediterranean Sea. The castle of Queribus, built by the Cantharis, at the top of the steep Corbières Mountain watches over the vineyards from the north. Each plot is now surrounded by black berry bushes, fig trees, pomegranate trees, cherry trees, carob trees, oaks, as well as fields of thyme, lavender and fennel.
The soil of the hills is made up of schiste clay with a limestone base and their altitudes vary between 120 to 370 meters. The wind, called here the "Tramontane", circulates in this corridor between Fenouillèdes and Corbières. The southern Catalan sun takes advantage of the refractive qualities of the schist from this ancient icy plateau to give St Roch its unique light.
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.
A northern point in France’s far southern Roussillon region, Maury is dominated by steep limestone cliffs and the castle of Queribus, which the French used as a defense outpost against the Spanish until 1659. Today it remains an important symbol of the presence of both cultures in the region.
Though Maury is famous for vins doux naturels (a style of fortified wine), Maury dry red wines are quickly becoming more in vogue and received their own appellation designation in 2011, called Maury Sec. As is the case in most of Roussillon, Grenache plays a key role here. The region’s schist-dominant vineyards, which climb up to 1,300 feet, are excellent for the production of Grenache of all styles.
For Maury dry red wines, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Syrah act as blending partners with Granche Noir. In the production of vins doux naturels, Grenache Gris and Blanc play a subsidiary role. The latter are characterized using the same terminology as that in Riveslates with those named as grenat or tuilé based on Grenache Noir and those described as ambré or blanc containing more Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris.