Winemaker Notes
The Provencal translation of La Font du Pape suggests a place where water is to be found, ideal for Syrah, or rather Serines, to express their fresh crispness. Through the emblematic grapes of their region, Grenache and Syrah, this union of terroirs finds it vocation in the coherent and elegant wines that it creates.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Lovely weight and generosity of fruit. This is more about acidity than tannins, which are fine, like wet clay. Perfumed violets and red fruits on the nose. A very drinkable, fluid style.
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James Suckling
This very Burgundian Chateauneuf has a wonderful silkiness and freshness for this hot and dry vintage. Full raspberry and forest berry aromas with a touch of dry forest floor character. Then the chalky tannins build at the moderately firm and bright finish. Very good aging potential. A cuvee of two parcels, one pure grenache, the other mainly grenache with a small amount of syrah. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink from release.
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Vinous
Blending 70% Grenache with 30% Syrah and using roughly 75% whole clusters, the 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Habemus Papam shows exceptionally well, unwinding with prominent orange blossom, raspberry, fresh violets and dried herbs. Utterly sculpted and detailed, the medium- to full-bodied 2024 is shaping up to be a delicious Habemus Papam. I already look forward to tasting it from bottle.
Barrel Sample: 92-94 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 60% Grenache Noir and 40% Syrah, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Habemus Papam reveals a floral, perfumed bouquet of dark cherries, violet and smoke mingled with a delicate touch of bacon. Moderately weighted and perfectly balanced, tense and layered, it's built around a vertical acidity, refined, elegantly structured tannins and a long, ethereal finish.
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Wine Spectator
There's a herbaceous lift to this delicious red, with a plush center of raspberry and sweet spices. Medium-bodied, with good balance between its ripe fruit and vibrant energy, plus lots of savory elements such as white pepper and smoked meat. Red tea tannins are fine and draw out the textured finish. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2038.
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.