Tour Saint-Michel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Feminessance 2012
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Much more modern in style, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Feminessance is a drop dead gorgeous effort that’s a blend of mostly Grenache, with a smaller component of Syrah, that’s aged in smaller oak barrels. Deeply colored, with full-bodied richness and depth, this layered, serious 2012 offers up creamy raspberry, cassis, licorice, vanilla and hints of white chocolate to go with a fresh, balanced profile. This won’t be for everyone, given the vanilla overtones, yet it is incredibly well done in the style, never loses its Southern Rhone soul, and is hard to resist, even now. It can be consumed on release, yet won’t hit its stride until 3-5 years after the vintage, and have 12-15 years of total longevity
Range: 93-95 Points
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Wine Spectator
A solid, gutsy style, with a core of fig and blackberry fruit inlaid liberally with fresh tobacco and chestnut leaf notes and backed by roasted alder and warm paving stone details. Well-integrated, with fresh acidity pulling all the elements together. Best from 2019 through 2030.
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.