Winemaker Notes
The blend of power and subtlety found in Domaine Tour Saint-Michel's, Cuvee des Deux Soeurs reveals a multi-generational project to master the patchwork of geology and microclimates found in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It opens with aromas of crushed black cassis set against a forest floor backdrop, while the medium-bodied palate delivers plum, cranberry skin, and clove notes.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
An energetic, well-shaped and driven red. It shows notes of cherries, crushed strawberries, licorice and baking spices. It’s full-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy center palate with a vivid core of berries mingling with the spices. Plenty of verve in the finish, with excellent length. Drink or hold.
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Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
The 2022 Domaine Tour Saint-Michel Cuvee des Deux is an excellent Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This wine shows aromas and flavors of exotic spices, forest floor, and black fruits. Enjoy this with a well-spiced, roast leg of lamb. (Tasted: March 28, 2025, San Francisco, CA)
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Wine Spectator
With impressive graphite intensity and a thread of savory herbaceousness behind its generous rush of cherry and cassis, this decadent version maintains lightness thanks to the cooling minerality and crushed graphite that washes through. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2032.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Brought up all in concreate, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Des Deux Soeurs has a classic nose of spicy red and black fruit intermixed with ample peppery garrigue and sappy floral notes. It's medium-bodied, nicely balanced, and elegant, with fine tannins. Drink this beautiful, classic Châteauneuf du Pape over the coming decade.
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.