Winemaker Notes
In a 41 hectare estate, there is only 1 hectare of white varieties: Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Roussanne in roughly equal proportions. The Grenache and Clairette is pressed directly into tank upon reaching the cellar where it is fermented and aged on its lees. The Roussanne is harvested in several passes and pressed into French oak for fermentation and aging. The final wine is blended and bottled in the spring after the harvest.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The white here continues to be terrific, and if you find bottles of the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc, you should buy it. Pear, citrus, white peach, and some spice, mineral notes give way to a medium-bodied, vibrant, balanced, impeccably made white that is terrific today yet has the ability to evolve for over a decade. It's a beautiful wine.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Roughly equal parts Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Roussanne, half in stainless steel and half in new oak, the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc features plenty of tangerine and pear fruit on the nose, completely absorbing the wood. It's medium to full-bodied, rich and even slightly oily in the mouth, showing ample concentration on the long, melon and lime finish.
-
Wine Spectator
This is both lush and pure, with a cascade of star fruit, crushed pear and apple surrounding a beam of chalky flint. Reveals chamomile and pretty dried floral notes, which add lightness to the full palate and echo through the well-built finish. Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne and Bourboulenc. Drink now through 2027. 430 cases made, 56 cases imported.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
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.