Winemaker Notes
The robe is frank with blue-toned color. The nose unveils burlat cherry and fig aromas with spices such as nutmeg, with cocoa and morello cherry eau de vie notes. The palate carries silky tannins. A freshness in the mouth, combined with complex red fruits, gentle spices and smoky notes.
Pair this wine alongside poultry with truffles.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape has lots to like, revealing a deeper ruby hue, more masculine notes of blackcurrants, ground pepper, and roasted garrigue, medium-bodied richness, and a nicely concentrated, textured style on the palate. It’s drinking nicely today, as are most 2018s, yet has a solid 8-10 years of longevity ahead of it.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Ripe, supple and easy to drink, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes features an attractive blend of red and black berry fruit alongside hints of licorice and cardamom. It's full-bodied, marked by silky tannins and an almost sweet-tasting ripeness that ends in a whirl of dark chocolate and raspberry jam on the finish.
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.