Winemaker Notes
Just one in 16 bottles that come from Châteauneuf-du-Pape are white. But the plot at Domaine de Sénéchaux is ideally positioned for very high quality, fresh whites. These wines have good ageing potential due to the combination of Clairette, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A textural, dense and aromatic white, showing sweet lemons, dried herbs, verbena, white flowers and some cedar on the nose. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and attractive, with velvety texture and a succulent, long finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
This estate always makes a terrific white, and their 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is no exception. Bright melon, honeyed citrus, and floral notes all define the nose, and it hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, a fresh yet textured mouthfeel, and a clean, dry finish that will shine on the dinner table. It's well worth seeking out.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 34% Roussanne, 30% Clairette, 28% Grenache Blanc and 8% Bourboulenc and about one-fourth barrel-fermented and matured, the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is a beauty, with bold aromas of pineapple and pear and hints of honey and lime. It's medium to full-bodied, plump yet balanced, fleshy and appealing. It's the kind of white from the region I want to drink, with just enough acid and chalkiness on the finish to keep it lively and refreshing.
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Wine Enthusiast
Grown on 7.5 acres of sandy-clay soil on a southwest aspect, this juicy and elegant wine is a blend of Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc aged in a mix of old barrels and stainless steel tanks. Enjoy its silky texture and profile of citrus pith, acacia, quince, white tea leaf and marzipan.
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Wine Spectator
Perfumed, zesty and focused, with sweet, fleshy melon, white peach, green plum and honeysuckle powered by succulent acidity. Reveals wet flint and chalky, bitter tannins that nicely balance everything out. Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
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.