Domaine de Pignan Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Cuvée Tradition”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Old vines with an average age of 80 years.
- The grapes are planted in the les Bosquets, Cabrieres, la Font du Pape, la Galimardes, les Mascaronnes, Mont Pertuis, Palestor, le Pied de Baud, le Tresquoys and of course Pignan lieux-dits.
Varietal Composition: 64% Grenache, 13% Mourvèdre, 12% Syrah, 11% combined of Cinsault, Counoise, Terret noir, Vaccarèse, and Muscardin.
Elaboration: Grapes are sorted and picked by hand. Maceration from 15 to 21 days, in temperature controlled vats, de-stalking, regular release and treading.The wine is aged in 1 to 4 year old foudres, used French oak barrels and tank for 12 to 18 months.
Tasting Notes: Expressive aromas of raspberry, cherry compote and candied flowers are lifted by a mineral topnote. Gently sweet and focused on the palate, offering vibrant red fruit flavors that deepen and spread out slowly with air. Shows hints of smokiness and allspice on the very long, penetrating finish, which features smooth tannins and an exotic, refreshingly bitter touch of blood orange.
PRESS
2016: 92 – Wine Advocate
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Domaine de Pignan has a rich, long history in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Antoine and Sophie Pécoul created the estate in 1855, with the acquisition of 5 hectares on the hillside next to the Pope’s castle. The property would be known as Domaine Antoine Pécoul.
The estate continued to be a family-owned property, remaining in the hands of the same family since it was originally created and passed down to multiple generations of family members. Since those early days, the subsequent generations have managed to triple the size of vineyards to their current size of 15 hectares.
Prior to 1960, the majority of the harvest was sold to negociants. Then in 1960, Louis and René Pécoul began producing, bottling, and selling their own wine under the Pécouls Frères label. The future was looking bright.
In 1989, Frédéric Charvin, the great, great, grandson of Antoine and Sophie, took charge of the estate, ushering in a new era and a new name for the estate: Domaine de Pignan. The future had arrived.