Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Offers a deep well of succulent, fleshy fig, boysenberry, plum and raspberry fruit, while notes of fruitcake, red licorice and singed apple wood remain prominent. Long, dense, poised and polished through the finish, this has finely beaded acidity and perfectly inlaid tannins to let everything come together in the cellar. A stunner, presenting a combination of depth, breadth and poise. Best from 2016 through 2035.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
There are roughly 2,800 bottles of the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes to go around. Always a blend of 100% Grenache from three terroirs -- Charbonnière, Esquierons and Galimardes -- it is completely destemmed and aged all in stainless steel (there wasn't enough to fill a larger barrel). The wine possesses a perfumed, complex profile of black raspberry and blackberry-like fruit, spring flowers, licorice and damp herbs. This is followed by a full-bodied, voluptuously textured wine that has layers of sweet fruit, fine tannin and terrific length. It lacks the sheer depth and richness that’s found in top vintages of this cuvée (2006, 2007, 2010, among others), but should still have 10-15 years of longevity, and deliver loads of pleasure for all of it.
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.