Châteauneuf du Pape is located between Orange and Avignon in the southeastern part of France. Despite the region been historically making wine since the 14th century, it was only noticed to the outside world in 1973, when the first assembled materials on Châteauneuf du Pape was published by an English journeyman/writer, John Livingstone-Learmonth in his book “The Wine of The Rhône.”
Châteauneuf du Pape (French for, new Pope castle) derived its name from the rich history of the area, which was previously the summer Château and vineyard of Avignon Popes, Pope John XXII, a successor of Pope Clement V, the same Pope that owned the famous Graves, Pape-Clement. Châteauneuf du Pape was previously underachieved, making lowly regarded wines from overproduction and selling grapes to nearby region such as Burgundy, where it was used to blend with others to add body, especially to the wines of cool and wet vintages. It was not until 1923, where Baron Le Roy of Chateau Fortia implemented a series of regulations and productions to improve the quality and image of this region. Those regulations later became the fundamentals of French appellation contrôlée system.
Soil
Two of the most important factors that make major contributions to Châteauneuf du Pape quality are the multiple grape varies and the Terroir. The pebble-looking soil known as “galet roulés” is commonly found in most Châteauneuf du Pape vineyard. The heat retentive rock is believed to release heat at night and helps to ripen the grape faster. The obvious alcohol found in wines from this area is the result of such unique terroir.
Grape Variety
A total of 13 white and red grape varieties are permitted to be used in Châteauneuf du Pape, which remains the highest number of grapes used in one single appellation. It is said that, Grenache and Cinsault gave the wine warmth, mellow, liqueur-like sweetness, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Muscardin and Vaccarèse gave the body, ageability and color, Picpoul and Counoise gave the liviness, charm, Clairette and Bourboulenc gave finesse, vibrancy. In 1923, Terret Noir, Picardin and Roussanne were subsequently added. After the phylloxera (which hit ravage this area in 1870s), most producers have replanted it with Grenache grape due to it endurance of heat and drought, which commonly occurs here and its high alcohol personality. In addition, Paul Avril of Clos des Papes, who was selling Grenache for twice the price of their Syrah and Mourvèdre blend, also encouraged the rest to follow his footsteps. Today, Grenache, the native Spanish’s grape accounted for 65% to 70% of the typical Châteauneuf du Pape blend.
Grenache – the most important grape of Châteauneuf du Pape has often been misunderstood. They are widely planted and highly weather adaptable. But, like Pinot Noir, yield is the crucial factor if one trying to achieve quality in this grape. Today, Grenache can be found in Spain, which is known as Garnacha, in Italy, which is know as Cannonau, Australia and California. Despite that, fewer examples attempt the same height outside the southern Rhône area with its unequal depth and multidimensional quality. In fact, I disagree with those who believed Californian Rhone ranger or Aussie old vine Grenache reach the similar parameter. Although the overripe, liqueur-sweet personality can be achieved from low-yield, old vine Grenache in those areas. However, many of the new world challengers often picked at the excessive ripeness, losing acidity and focus. Those wines come across as chucky, downright alcoholic and warm. To compensate the deficiency, they often treated the wines with double-charged new oak aging and acid correction. The strong presence of oak flavor, often musks the fine details of the Grenache, with many tasting monotonously similar. Anyone who has the opportunity to taste Châteauneuf du Pape from producers such as Henri Bonneau, Pegau (Cuvée Da Capo), Rayas (during Jacques Reynaud time) and Marcoux (Vieilles Vignes) will understand what is missing on those new breeds. The density, the diversity, the complexity and the ageability are simply unparallel from such Maestro producers. Experiencing those Châteauneuf du Papes that magically combined the rich exuberant personality with uncanny liveliness and energy simply make my wine drinking journey more meaningful.
Winemaking
The winemaking in Châteauneuf du Pape is generally quite traditional. At one point, modern technology almost does not exist here. Most producers learn their winemaking through their father, grandfather, and great grandfather that produced wines. No destemming, filtration, new oak barrel, stainless steel tank…etc. all are fermented and aged in large foudres. The so called the Modernists were the invention of the 90s.The discovery of rhône from the outside world has brought in sales and wealth. It also attracts the young generation to return to their family roots and continue their winemaking tradition. New idea, new winemaking practices were injected into this quiet town. Today, you can find many modernly made, spotlessly clean, new wood infused, monumental size Châteauneuf du Pape that sprawl like a winter Saffron in this area. Nonetheless, the traditionalists remain to staying on their faith and continue in turning out one of the world’s most individualistic, profoundly rich and longer-live wines.
Recent Vintages
Châteauneuf du Pape has enjoyed an unprecedented run of great vintages from 1998-2001. It ended with the horrendous weather of 2002. 2003 has returned to past glory, despite the extreme heat and drought condition, it has little effect to the heat and drought resistance Grenache grape. This early harvest vintage was compared with the equally high alcohol, low-acid, hedonistic vintage of 2000. The wine is plushed and forward and will be ready to consume upon released. Châteauneuf du Pape appeared to be the most successful southern Rhône of the 2003 vintage. Unfortunately, the production was 50%-70% below average. Finding the top-scored 2003 will be difficult and prices are likely to be high.
Châteauneuf du Pape (French for, new Pope castle) derived its name from the rich history of the area, which was previously the summer Château and vineyard of Avignon Popes, Pope John XXII, a successor of Pope Clement V, the same Pope that owned the famous Graves, Pape-Clement. Châteauneuf du Pape was previously underachieved, making lowly regarded wines from overproduction and selling grapes to nearby region such as Burgundy, where it was used to blend with others to add body, especially to the wines of cool and wet vintages. It was not until 1923, where Baron Le Roy of Chateau Fortia implemented a series of regulations and productions to improve the quality and image of this region. Those regulations later became the fundamentals of French appellation contrôlée system.
Soil
Two of the most important factors that make major contributions to Châteauneuf du Pape quality are the multiple grape varies and the Terroir. The pebble-looking soil known as “galet roulés” is commonly found in most Châteauneuf du Pape vineyard. The heat retentive rock is believed to release heat at night and helps to ripen the grape faster. The obvious alcohol found in wines from this area is the result of such unique terroir.
Grape Variety
A total of 13 white and red grape varieties are permitted to be used in Châteauneuf du Pape, which remains the highest number of grapes used in one single appellation. It is said that, Grenache and Cinsault gave the wine warmth, mellow, liqueur-like sweetness, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Muscardin and Vaccarèse gave the body, ageability and color, Picpoul and Counoise gave the liviness, charm, Clairette and Bourboulenc gave finesse, vibrancy. In 1923, Terret Noir, Picardin and Roussanne were subsequently added. After the phylloxera (which hit ravage this area in 1870s), most producers have replanted it with Grenache grape due to it endurance of heat and drought, which commonly occurs here and its high alcohol personality. In addition, Paul Avril of Clos des Papes, who was selling Grenache for twice the price of their Syrah and Mourvèdre blend, also encouraged the rest to follow his footsteps. Today, Grenache, the native Spanish’s grape accounted for 65% to 70% of the typical Châteauneuf du Pape blend.
Grenache – the most important grape of Châteauneuf du Pape has often been misunderstood. They are widely planted and highly weather adaptable. But, like Pinot Noir, yield is the crucial factor if one trying to achieve quality in this grape. Today, Grenache can be found in Spain, which is known as Garnacha, in Italy, which is know as Cannonau, Australia and California. Despite that, fewer examples attempt the same height outside the southern Rhône area with its unequal depth and multidimensional quality. In fact, I disagree with those who believed Californian Rhone ranger or Aussie old vine Grenache reach the similar parameter. Although the overripe, liqueur-sweet personality can be achieved from low-yield, old vine Grenache in those areas. However, many of the new world challengers often picked at the excessive ripeness, losing acidity and focus. Those wines come across as chucky, downright alcoholic and warm. To compensate the deficiency, they often treated the wines with double-charged new oak aging and acid correction. The strong presence of oak flavor, often musks the fine details of the Grenache, with many tasting monotonously similar. Anyone who has the opportunity to taste Châteauneuf du Pape from producers such as Henri Bonneau, Pegau (Cuvée Da Capo), Rayas (during Jacques Reynaud time) and Marcoux (Vieilles Vignes) will understand what is missing on those new breeds. The density, the diversity, the complexity and the ageability are simply unparallel from such Maestro producers. Experiencing those Châteauneuf du Papes that magically combined the rich exuberant personality with uncanny liveliness and energy simply make my wine drinking journey more meaningful.
Winemaking
The winemaking in Châteauneuf du Pape is generally quite traditional. At one point, modern technology almost does not exist here. Most producers learn their winemaking through their father, grandfather, and great grandfather that produced wines. No destemming, filtration, new oak barrel, stainless steel tank…etc. all are fermented and aged in large foudres. The so called the Modernists were the invention of the 90s.The discovery of rhône from the outside world has brought in sales and wealth. It also attracts the young generation to return to their family roots and continue their winemaking tradition. New idea, new winemaking practices were injected into this quiet town. Today, you can find many modernly made, spotlessly clean, new wood infused, monumental size Châteauneuf du Pape that sprawl like a winter Saffron in this area. Nonetheless, the traditionalists remain to staying on their faith and continue in turning out one of the world’s most individualistic, profoundly rich and longer-live wines.
Recent Vintages
Châteauneuf du Pape has enjoyed an unprecedented run of great vintages from 1998-2001. It ended with the horrendous weather of 2002. 2003 has returned to past glory, despite the extreme heat and drought condition, it has little effect to the heat and drought resistance Grenache grape. This early harvest vintage was compared with the equally high alcohol, low-acid, hedonistic vintage of 2000. The wine is plushed and forward and will be ready to consume upon released. Châteauneuf du Pape appeared to be the most successful southern Rhône of the 2003 vintage. Unfortunately, the production was 50%-70% below average. Finding the top-scored 2003 will be difficult and prices are likely to be high.
For those who own the previous Châteauneuf du Pape 2001 are pleased to be advised that the most luxury-cuvée I have tasted recently like Pierre Usseglio Réserve des Deux Frères, Clos du Caillou Réserve, Marcoux Vieilles Vignes have largely closed down now. The same can be said for the equally large-scale and age-worth of 1998 vintage. Nonetheless, you can enjoy with immense pleasure of 2000 or the slightly less prodigious but equally profound 1999.
Henry Bonneau – Relentless Pursuit of Excellence
I do not believe anyone other than Henry Bonneau that has made more massive, powerful, complex and age-worthy wine in Châteauneuf du Pape. A true living legend of Rhône. I treat all my experiences with Bonneau, especially his top-gem, Célestins with the equal respect and admiration as wine like Pétrus, Latour, Cheval Blanc, Henri Jayer, Romanée-Conti. After the sudden-dead of Jacques Reynaud (Château Rayas) in January 14, 1997, no producer come near in making more compelling, mind-boggling Châteauneuf du Pape than this house. That is not to say, there is a shortage of good producers in this area. Producers such as Pegau, Beaucastel, de la Janasse, Marcoux and the new comer like Pierre Usseglio, Clos du Caillou, de la Morderee, which produce equally exceptionally fine Châteauneuf du Pape. However, none in the same scale, majestically size and long-life as this legend. In fact, Robert Parker made the most mistakes in anticipating the maturity of Bonneau’s Célestins and undermined some less celebrated vintages such as 1992, which in my opinion, the only mature Célestins in the last 16 years. Finding his Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Célestins is closed to impossible, since Bonneau wine only available through limited sources and he sells the big part of his tiny production (800-1,000 cases) to his previous loyal clienteles from Belgium and Switzerland. Over time, Bonneau’s wines also proven to be one of the best investment in wine. His 1990 is currently selling for nearly S$2000 a bottle in the secondary market, and his recent releases of Celestins 1998 has already been selling in the States at more than S$1,000 a bottle.
Pierre Usseglio – The New Challenger
Of all new generation Châteauneuf du Pape, Pierre Usseglio is my favorite. Pierre Usseglio’s son, Jean-Pierre and Thierry, currently runs the estate. This relatively new producer owns some prime vineyard in Châteauneuf du Pape that includes La Crau (known as the finest terroir in the area and similar to those of Bonneau). The average vines here are around 80 years old. All grapes are fermented separately in tanks before being blended. For cuvée de Mon Aïeul is aged in half foudres and half tank. As for the estate luxury cuvée Réserve des Deux Frères is aged 60% in wood fundres and 40% in one, two and three year-old burgundy barrel. My experience with Réserve des Deux Frères was limited. This cuvée previously known as cuvée de Cinquantenaire (fiftieth anniversary) only started bottling in 2000 vintage. A predominantly Grenache blend that come across more in common with California Cabernet Sauvignon with it cassis, blueberry, smoke and earth in a firm, structured frame. Cuvée de Mon Aïeul is distinctly more Rhône, with its sweet kirsch, smoke meat in a seamless, thick palate. Unlike Bonneau, whose wines are more “wild”, garrique and beef blood, also more hedonistic than Pierre Usseglio. However, my best examples of 2000 de Mon Aïeul intrigued me with an amazing display of densely sweet kirsch, combined smoke and minerals in a lush, fat (smoke bacon), gamy, palate-staining richness, yet espite the suave palate, the wine is equally bright and vibrant. A world-class effort.
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