Domaine Lafond Roc-Epine Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2016
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Robert
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Jeb
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Pair it with filets of red mullet in basil with baby vegetables sauteed in olive oil, Noisettes of lamb in parsley spelt with dried fruit and thyme sauce, salami...
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A classic blend of 80% Grenache and 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape was bottled just six weeks before I tasted it at the domaine. It's loaded with raspberry fruit and hints of baking spices (30% of the blend ages in wood). Full-bodied, supple and lush, it's also concentrated, rich and velvety in texture, with notes of clove and cinnamon lingering on the finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Fresh and lively, with notes of black cherries, blackberries, scorched earth, and spice, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is concentrated and full-bodied, with a pure, elegant texture and a big finish. Based on 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, it has present tannin, notable purity of fruit, and is going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 10-15 years.
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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.