Winemaker Notes
A rare concentration and a beautiful intensity with blue reflections. The notes of black fruit mingle with tapenade and delicate herbs de Provence found at the edge of the plots. The vinification in whole bunches brings an incredible elegance by a bouquet of floral notes and a palate where the generosity of the Grenache marries with the delicate spices of the Mourvèdre.
Blend: 90% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very concentrated and highly structured Chateauneuf with great vitality for the very warm, dry vintage. I love the fragrant blue fruit aromas and the delicate Mediterranean herb character, which makes this so fascinating. So much drive and freshness at the very long finish. Limited production. 90% grenache and 10% mourvedre. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.
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Wine Spectator
Smooth, dark and velvety in feel, with a well-knit texture behind notes of smoked apple woodlaced fig, fruitcake and linzer torte. There's good harmony to the substantial, weighty finish, which is packed with iron and fruitcake. A showy, attractive style. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2038. 318 cases made, 42 cases imported.
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Jeb Dunnuck
A step up, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Chorégies offers more purity in its black raspberry, blackberry, spice, and Provençal garrigue-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it picks up some gamey, meaty nuances with time in the glass, has terrific fruit, ripe tannins, and outstanding length. It’s going to drink nicely for a decade.
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.