Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A perfect wine (and equal to the profound 2007), the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus-Ex Machina was cropped at under 20 hectoliters per hectare. Extremely full-bodied and dense purple-colored, it exhibits notes of blueberries, blackberries, licorice, incense, camphor, vanillin and chocolate-covered espresso beans (no doubt from the new demi-muids in which the Mourvedre component was aged). The tannins are noticeable, but relatively silky. The most muscular and formidable 2010 in this portfolio, its expansiveness, mind-boggling richness and intensity, and 60-second finish are the stuff of legends. Forget this remarkable Chateauneuf du Pape for five years and drink it over the following thirty years.
-
Vinous
Dark and brooding, the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina screams from the glass with pronounced tobacco, melted licorice, blackberry liqueur, forest floor, dried lavender and a touch of dark chocolate. Opulent and rich to an almost obscene degree, the ultra-intense 2010 isn't aimed at those seeking elegance and restraint in a red Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Yet, putting stylistic preferences aside and solely focusing on the quality, the craftsmanship and attention to detail simply cannot be ignored. This is a singular elixir from one of the finest vintages
-
Wine Spectator
This is loaded with bittersweet ganache, espresso, roasted fig, blackberry confiture and graphite notes, all of which manage to fall in stride together. Offers lots of briary grip, with a Black Forest cake note driving through the finish. Dark and dense, but with terrific cut. Best from 2015 through 2030.
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.