Winemaker Notes
Deep crimson color. Ripe dark berries, turning to spices. Smooth and persistent with aromatic fullness. A blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Counoise. Pair well with red meat, dishes cooked in sauce, meat terrine and cheeses.
Professional Ratings
-
Wine Spectator
Ripe and forward in feel, featuring crushed raspberry and blackberry compote notes, mixed with red licorice, blood orange, rooibos tea and fruitcake hints. Silky from start to finish, with a subtle sanguine thread lacing up the finish. Very enticing. Best from 2020 through 2037.
-
James Suckling
This has a brambly array of fresh red berries and a spicy, earthy edge to the nose. The palate has smoothly honed, ripe red-fruit flavors with a succulent, supple and vibrant finish. Drink or hold.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2016 Domaine du Vieux Lazaret Châteauneuf-du-Pape is steadfast and beautiful. TASTING NOTES: This wine serves up aromas and flavors of crushed berries and other ripe fruits. Pair it with mildly-spiced beef stew. (Tasted: August 19, 2020, San Francisco, CA)
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.