Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
With aromatic, delicate notes of dark cherries, licorice and fresh thyme, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Pied de Baud possesses a medium to full-bodied, juicy and elegant, textured and layered palate framed by precise, delicate tannins and a fleshy core of fruit that segues into a long, ethereal and floral finish. This blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre and 10% Cinsault was matured in foudres (from Stockinger) and jars. I like its overall balance and energy, and it should have two decades of longevity.
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Wine Spectator
There's supple elegance and mineral-driven character to the crunchy red fruit and smoldering incense flavors on a fresh, balanced palate. Notes of smoked meat and cast iron make an impression towards the finish, with a waft of mesquite ash, sweet spices and gentle tannins. This is going for a different, more refined style of Châteauneuf. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Drink now through 2038. 373 cases made, 50 cases imported.
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Decanter
Smooth, fine, silty tannins make their impression here. There’s good freshness, it’s a pure expression. Violets and spice, with a little smoky note. Not hugely long, but has a lovely tannic line. Coplanted Grenache, Mourvèdre and Cinsault on sand, galets and clay.
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.