Winemaker Notes
Blend: 90% Grenache, 10% field blend
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lots of seductive floral and fruit aromas of stewed strawberries, dried lavender, and torched rosemary followed by wild bush and terra-cotta. A medium-bodied wine with silky fine-grained tannins. Bright acidity backbone gives delightful freshness and crunchiness to the mid-palate and finish. Beautiful concentration and focus throughout with layered spices.
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Wine Spectator
A sleek, velvety version, showing a winey core of smoldering incense, red berries and black currant layered with notes of violet and iron shavings. This smoky red offers flavors of singed apple wood on a full-bodied frame, while a deftly inlaid spine of tannins and mineral elements keeps this polished wine energetic. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2033. 350 cases imported.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Ferrand's uncompromisingly traditional 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape draws on the estate's vineyards in la Bertaude, Cabrières and la Gardiole. The fruit fermented in concrete, then the wine matured in tank (both stainless and concrete are used). An assemblage of 80% Grenache, 8% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 2% Cinsault and a surprising 5% of Bourboulenc, it offers up attractive scents of violets, leather and cherries on the nose. In the mouth, this full-bodied effort is almost syrupy in texture, supple and expansive, then turns a bit leaner and more tannic on the lengthy finish.
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Vinous
Ripe strawberry, licorice, dried herbs and a sprinkle of white pepper present the 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Although closing in slightly below my expectations from barrel, it’s a solid red nonetheless. Medium to full-bodied and offering excellent freshness, the 2021 feels quite complete. An elegant conclusion rounds it all up.
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.