Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone, France!
September 24, 2007 by michael
The most famous of the Rhone wine villages, Chateauneuf du Pape (pronounced “Sha-toe-NEW-eff- do - pop”), or the “new chateau of the pope”, has become quite popular in recent years especially in the US market. The name of the region derives from the movement of the papacy by Pope Clement I in 1308 to the town of Avignon. During the papacy’s time in Avignon, wines from this region gained attention in other areas of France although the quality of the wines was just beginning to improve. Through a strong push by Pope Clement I, and his successor John XXII, viticulture techniques improved greatly in the region leading to hundreds of years of improvements in wine making.
Located in southeastern France,Chateauneuf du Pape (CdP) is known for very high quality red wines that are generally structured around Grenache or Mourvèdre. The soil is very rocky consisting of layers of glacial stones and pebbles. The wines are generally earthy, Old World style wines with light red fruits and medium tannins. Less than 15% of total wine production in CdP is white wine, often consisting of Grenache Blanc. The recent vintages of CdP have been spectacular, with 2005 being one of the best ever. A warm, dry growing season produced concentrated grapes that were balanced by cool summer nights. Vines were harvested in the first week of October under ideal conditions.
Of the 2005 vintage, James Molesworth of Wine Spectator suggests that wine lovers should be buying the vintage “by the caseload” and scored the 2005 vintage as a whole at 97 points (a classic vintage on the Wine Spectator’s 100 point scale). Molesworth states that the vintage is comparable to the stellar ‘98 vintage having the “same level of fruit and richness…(but the ‘05 may have) better overall definition.”
Many of the wines from CdP are priced more than $25, with the best costing $75 up to a few hundred. This is not to say that good CdP’s can’t be found for less. I recommend going to a wine shop with a large collection of French wines (such as Mill’s in Annapolis) and talking with the knowledgeable staff. They can help you find a great bottle of CdP in your price range that will give you a good idea of how great the wines can be.
Image from: http://www.domaine-de-chateaumar.com - An outstanding wine producer.
[...] which are spicy, terroir driven and complex. Red wines of the Southern Rhone, including the prized Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines, are comprised of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault. Wines labeled Cotes du Rhone cover [...]
[...] to some of the best wines in the world including the renown wines of the Southern Rhone’s Chateauneuf-du-Pape region. But it is in the Northern Rhone region that the best Syrah’s in the world are [...]
[...] This month our host is Dr. Deb’s of Good Wine Under $20. Her theme which I greatly appreciate is white wines from the Rhone. We’ve been tasting and drinking a good amount of Rhone wines lately, but only 10 or so white wines in the last few months from the Rhone. This was a good reason to open a bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc I’ve been waiting anxiously to try. (For more on Chateauneuf, click here!) [...]