Winemaker Notes
In his youth, this wine displays a deep carmine color, with aromas of ripe black fruits evolving into spicy notes. Its smoothness, persistence, and aromatic breadth are its defining features. With age, it transforms, revealing aromas of spiced ripe fruits that develop into compote-like nuances, reminiscent of prunes, licorice, and hints of black pepper. This wine has excellent aging potential.
Traditional pairings include red meats, sauced dishes, meat terrines, and cheeses. However, feel free to get creative by pairing it with bolder dishes, such as a lamb tagine or a pan-fried forest mushroom medley, which will elevate its aromas.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
A bit shy at the moment, the nose offers compact bramble, violets, and sous bois that hint at what is to come. The palate is round, opening with orange peel, saffron, and anise before landing on a firm stone finish.
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Wine Spectator
Leads with savory tones of earth, soy, roasted meat, coffee and brown bread that encase notes of cherry and lavender. On the lighter side, with a smooth palate and saline mineral depth to the smoky, focused finish. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2034.
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.