Winemaker Notes
Blend: 85% Grenache Noir, 15% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape ranks alongside the finest renditions of this wine ever produced at Domaine de Cristia. Bursting with orange blossom, garrigue, red cherry, strawberry and licorice, it strikes the perfect balance between opulence and freshness. Polished tannins, a seamless mouthfeel and a focused, juicy conclusion round it all up.
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James Suckling
A well-built, balanced and lively red with notes of sweet berries, dried herbs, stones and peppercorns. Full-bodied with velvety tannins and a silky core of berries on the palate. Refined and elegant, with a caressing touch challenged by a lift of peppercorns kicking in toward the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Crafted from vines planted on sandy soils, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape from Domaine de Cristia has a vibrant, elegant bouquet of dark cherries, berries, rose, violet and lilac mingled with fresh thyme notes. Medium to full-bodied, pure and clean, it has an ample and fleshy core of fruit, suave texture and polished tannins.
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Wine Spectator
Crafted from vines planted on sandy soils, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape from Domaine de Cristia has a vibrant, elegant bouquet of dark cherries, berries, rose, violet and lilac mingled with fresh thyme notes. Medium to full-bodied, pure and clean, it has an ample and fleshy core of fruit, suave texture and polished tannins. Comprising 85% Grenache Noir and 15% Syrah and matured for 18 months in both wooden and concrete tanks, this authentic Chateauneuf-du-Pape is worth seeking out.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Juicy black cherries, Provençal spice, sappy garrigue, and some subtle floral notes all emerge from the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape, a fruit-forward, juicy, medium to full-bodied, classic cuvée that has terrific overall balance. It's perfect for drinking over the coming decade. The blend is 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah that was destemmed and brought up in concrete tanks and foudre.
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.