"Among the great wines of the world, Châteauneuf-du-Pape holds its own compared to the best bottles from Burgundy or Bordeaux. Taking its name from the palace in which the Avignon popes resided during the 14th century, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is where the French appellation system was first created in 1923. The region is home to mainly Grenache vines, which cover about 75 percent of its stone and clay soils, but 12 other red grapes including Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault are cultivated here and can be used in Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. While this Rhône Valley AOC is known for bold and meaty reds with a firm touch of oak, Domaine André Brunel has been fermenting and aging its wines in stainless steel and concrete for many vintages, allowing the purity of its old-vine Grenache to shine through.
Long before a recently noted trend for a lighter touch of oak in red wines, André Brunel, who passed away in 2022, began minimizing barrel influence on his wines, a tradition his son Fabrice, eighth-generation owner and winemaker, is carrying on. He and his co-winemaker Romain Pitaud have transitioned to no oak at all on their highest end wine, the newly released Cuvée Centenaire 2022, which retails for $300. Made with 90 percent Grenache from vines planted by Brunel’s great-grandfather in 1889, it is an incredible example of the quality that can be coaxed from the stony terroir of Châteauneuf-de-Pape. Brunel points out that he adds Syrah and Mourvèdre for their aromatic profiles and for color. [...]" Read the entire article
Thank you Mike Desimone and Jeff Jessen for this article on the Robb and Report
Published : 2024-06-04