Domaine de la Charbonniere Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge “Cuvée Domaine”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- This Cuvée is a blend of the smallest parcels around the estate. This first Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge is a model of balance and purity of fruit.
Varietal Composition: 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre
Elaboration: Enormous care is taken at harvest time. It is done in a traditional method: hand-picked harvest with a selective sorting of grapes in the vineyard and at the cellar (by using a sorting table), which are proofs of quality. We desteemed and fermented in conical wood vat and stainless steel vats. The alcoholic fermentation lasts 3 to 4 weeks with different operations : A release, punching of the cap and pumping over. The malolactic fermentation is made in demi-muids and oak vats. Elevage is done in conical wood vat, stainless steels vats with a mix of demi-muid and some barrels for aging.
Tasting Notes: Offering a complex nose with hints of crushed raspberry, licorice and graphite. The mouth is round with an excellent balance and a nice finish.
PRESS
2015 – 92 Wine Advocate | 92 James Suckling | 93 Wine Spectator
2016 – 91+ Wine Advocate | 92 Vinous | 92 Jeb Dunnuck | 93 James Suckling | 94 Wine Enthusiast | 94 Wine Spectator (#30 Top 100 of 2019)
2017 – 92 Wine Spectator | 93 Jeb Dunnuck | 94 James Suckling | 94 Wine Advocate
2018 – 92 Vinous
2019 – 91 Wine Advocate | 94 Jeb Dunnuck | 94 James Suckling
2020 – 93 Vinous | 93 Wine Spectator | 94 Jeb Dunnuck | 94 James Suckling
2021 – 90 Jeb Dunnuck
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Domaine de la Charbonnière has been the singular passion of the Maret family since their purchase of this iconic property in 1912. The young and charismatic Veronique Maret is responsible for the recent meteoric rise of Charbonnière – Veronique is handling all winemaking and somehow also finding the time to run the Domaine’s sales activities. One of the most important changes Veronique made since taking over in 2012 was the move to organic viticulture. Organic farming really started to make its mark on the finished wines in 2014 and the press we’ve been seeing from that point on only validates our opinion on that front. Domaine de la Charbonnière’s holdings spread over 68 acres in some of the region’s most sought after lieu dits – 49 of these in Châteauneuf du Pape, 15 in Vacqueyras, 4 in Côtes du Rhône. Winemaking is traditional with a profound respect for grapes and terroir. Reds are fermented in conical wood vats, and aged in a mix of demi muids and barrels. While the majority of our Charbonniere references are red, Insiders have long sought out the property’s white wine offerings, which we make available to you with wide grins on our faces. These are all tactile wines that combine elegance and serious depth at once.