Winemaker Notes
The entry-level Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge from Domaine de la Janasse is sourced from a wide variety of terroirs, totaling about 10 hectares, located in the northern part of the appellation and supplemented with a small portion of fruit from Le Crau. About 65% Grenache in most vintages, the rest of the blend includes varying amounts of Syrah, Mourvedre, and a bit of Cinsault. Harvested by hand, the fruit is mostly destemmed (about 20% whole clusters are retained) with fermentation in oak and concrete vats. Macerations average between 21-28 days with daily, manual pigeage. The wine is then aged in foudre (80% – Grenache) and French oak barrels (20% – Syrah & Mourvedre), of which a third are new.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An agile and crunchy Chateauneuf-du-Pape with plenty of raspberries, strawberries, flowers, peppercorns and hints of sandalwood. Medium body with sinewy tannins. Fresh and crunchy with lots of succulent fruit character and a racy finish. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a Grenache-led blend with small amounts of Syrah and Mourvèdre. While the Grenache components are aged in concrete, the Syrah and Mourvèdre matured in French oak barrels, of which a minority is new. Combined aromas of predominantly red fruits, dried herbs, licorice and a pinch of menthol. Velvety tannins envelop this medium to full- bodied elegant red, with good persistence on the bright finish. It comes in at 14.5% alcohol, 1% less than both the 2019 and 2020 vintage
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Wine Spectator
Tasty and ripe, with an open profile marked by sappy red cherry, anise and generous floral perfume. Meaty and fleshy on the vanilla-kissed palate, with crushed iron bringing balance, while dried rosemary, charred mesquite and herbal lift emerge. There's a lot to like about this alluring red, which is drinking beautifully now (and will age well, too). Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Drink now through 2032
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Jeb Dunnuck
Including a touch more Syrah and Mourvèdre than usual, the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape is another elegant, finesse-driven 2021 with plenty to love. Framboise, wild strawberries, pepper, and Provençal, spicy, garrigue like notes define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, with a layered, elegant mouthfeel and outstanding length. It's perfect for drinking over the coming 10-12 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The amount of 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape produced was reduced by about one-third, because of frost, but the remaining wine is solid. Stewed cherries and berries are joined by hints of garrigue and fresh fruit, while the medium to full-bodied palate is outlined by firm but silky tannins and bright acidity. It's a bit edgy in feel, closing on notes of clove and allspice.
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.