Steal of a deal, posh adventures for a tuppence.

 

It seems winter has arrived, given Thursdays wet, windy, rains.  What better way to enjoy it than with aged, brilliant, Southern Rhone reds?  Three gems from 2010; ditto from 2015.

 

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Is a historic wine region located between the towns of Orange and Avignon, in France's southern Rhône Valley.  The name of the appellation means "new castle of the Pope". This refers to the early 14th Century when Avignon was chosen as the new home for the Pope's court. The incumbent Pope at that time was Clement V. It is famous for powerful, full-bodied red wine, largely made from the classic southern Rhône grape trio of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.  The region is most notable for the GSM blend, with many producers creating Grenache dominant wines with Syrah and Mourvèdre in smaller proportions.  The soils of the appellation are pebbly and sandy, as is common in the southern half of the Rhône Valley. They were created from ancient riverbeds, with the town and its vineyards located just to the east of the Rhône river. The archetypal Châteauneuf vineyard is strewn with large pebbles known as galets. These stones prevent water evaporation from the soil surface and encourage the reflection of sunlight into the canopy. Traditionally the red wines would have been vinified in concrete vats, though since the 1980s many producers invested in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. Coated concrete tanks are now making a comeback, including egg-shaped fermenters and alternate options such as amphorae are beginning to be seen. The official title was declared in June of 1929. It was one of the country's very first, and remains one of the most prestigious even today. Thirteen varieties of grapes were approved for production upon establishment of the appellation. After a 2009 review, eighteen varieties are now permissible.

Curiously, the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape banned UFOs in the 1950s. The law forbids flying saucers from taking off, landing, or flying over the vineyards and is still in force today!J

 

Fine Domaines include

 

Wine Spectator – De Pegau Reserve 2010:  Top 100 wines of the world 2013 – 7/100.

Robert Parker - Domaine de la Janasse is one of the great winemaking estates of not only France, but of the world.

Jeb Dennuck - Saint Preferts’ Isabel Ferrando continues to fashion some of the most profound wines on the planet.

Robert Parker - Saint Prefert is easily one of my favourite estates… it’s been one superb release after another.

Antonio Galloni - The wines of Roger Sabon display deep, expressive notes, intensity without over ripe, balanced by a beautiful sense of freshness.

 

Vintages; Wine Spectator best two of the last 15 years:

 

2010:  Cool, windy spring led to a drastically reduced crop; growing season marked by warm days and cool nights, with a late harvest resulting in beautifully ripe, racy, terroir-driven wines for aging. The spine of ’05 with extra flesh.  98/100

2015:  Ideal spring conditions were followed by warm, dry weather through July. Later-ripening Grenache and Mourvèdre excelled; reds are rich, ripe and full of powerful fruit. In the style of 2009 and 2007, with better definition.  97/100

 

 

Today’s 6-pack offer comprises single bottles of each of the superb Chateauneuf du Pape wines listed below, with two bottles of the splendid Saint Prefert.  These wines are singing right now.  I opened a Vieux Telegraph 2011 Wed evening (a lessor vintage), decanted it and after an hour; my oh my.  However, the real trick was to leave the second half in its decanter, to enjoy last night.… Wow!  Frankly, superb.  It came into its own with the additional time.  Such is the longevity of these special blends.  Like claret, they adore decades.  So, drink or cellar; big rewards either way.  Attached notes offer full wine details.

 

• De Pegau Curvee C du P Reserve 2010

Wine Advocate - Aromas and flavors of ripe dark fruits, garrigue, cured meats, tobacco leaf, saddle leather and hints of game. Full-bodied and beautifully concentrated, it offers a seamless, layered profile on the palate with thrilling mid-palate depth, sweet, yet substantial tannin, and a finish that stays fresh and beautifully focused. It will absolutely thrill over the coming 2-3 decades. Drink 2016-2030.  98/100                          

 

• De Pegau Curvee C du P Reserve 2015

Wine Advocate - It's all violets, cherries, subtle allspice and clove and traditional garrigue notes of lavender and thyme. Full-bodied and rich, it's crazy complex, adding hints of tar and black olives on the long, silky finish. 96/100                                                              

  

• Janasse Reserve C du P 2010. 

Jancis Robinson MW - Lightly meaty nose. Very cool overall though there is masses of ripe fruit underneath. Rather interesting dustiness. Very chewy finish. Ambition and strong Châteauneuf character 17.5/20                        

 

• Roger Sabon Reserve C du P 2010.

Wine Spectator - This is gorgeous, with lush linzer torte, boysenberry pâte de fruit and plum sauce notes that captivate, while anise, Lapsang souchong tea and singed apple wood notes fill in the background. The long finish is fleshy and driven. 94/100.      

                

• Saint Prefert Reserve C du P 2015.

Cellartracker 2022 - Outstanding wine. One of the best CdP's I have had. Be sure to decant well or hold for longer. Dark fruit, herbs, excellent tannins and balance. Long finish. Second night even better. Highly recommend. 97/100                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Special offer terms:

It’s a 6 cases today at R6 360 each (they’d land now at R8 600). The first 2 cases are yours for only R5 990 each, offering an easy R370 discount … R2 610 cheaper than current actual price.