Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This is intense, with fig, blackberry and plum compote flavors rolling over one another, while worn leather, Turkish coffee and well-roasted mesquite notes form a ring around them. Overall this is rich and dense, yet there’s definition throughout. Only needs time to knit fully before delivering its peak experience. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2020 through 2035.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
As for the reds from barrel, I found a touch of volatile acidity in all of the barrel samples, as well as a touch less exuberance and concentration than in past vintage. Still, as I hope the scores show, the wines are beautiful. Starting out, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah, all from the sandy soils of the Cristia lieu-dit. Blueberries, flowers, peach pit and violets all emerge from this full-bodied, expansive, sweetly fruited effort that has supple tannin and excellent purity.
Range: (90-92)
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.