Winemaker Notes
Blend: 60% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I loved the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape, and I’d certainly be happy with a case in the cellar. Offering a pure, elegant, incredibly Grenache-driven profile of sweet black raspberries, incense, violets, and garrigue, it’s medium to full-bodied, ethereal, and elegant on the palate. It’s already hard to resist yet will keep for 10-15 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Coming in (rating-wise) right where I projected it would last year, Giraud's 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape is a terrific example of a cuvée tradition. At 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre, it's a pretty typical blend yet one that exceeds expectations. It's full-bodied, plush and velvety, showing ample ripeness—raspberries, cherries, and stone fruit—without going over the top into cooked fruit. No, it doesn't show that much complexity at this age, but some of that will emerge over the next decade or so.
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Wine Spectator
A fleshy core of lightly mulled raspberry, plum and red currant fruit flavors cruises through, backed by ample licorice, singed cedar and dried garrigue notes. Finely beaded acidity adds latent energy to the finish. Best from 2021 through 2035.
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.