Once again, a big "Thank you" goes out to Yvonne Smith for
hosting the March Confrerie event. The wines were very nice and we all
gained more insight as to why The wines from Chateauneuf du Pape have been gaining respect from around the world.
The event began a 3:00pm with the starter wine and about 45 minutes later the formal tasting began. Guests were introduced and we want to say how nice it was to see Jack Duey back in our midst
After an update of our upcoming Spring Fling to Southern Oregon by Lis Cooper we were treated to some wine education by our very own Doc Wilson.
Doc Wilson was kind enough to give us a brief overview of the appellation and the grapes used in the production of the white and red wines of Chateauneuf du Pape.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape translates as "New Castle of the Pope," and indeed, the history of this commune and its wine is firmly entwined with papal history. In 1308, Pope Clement V, former Archbishop of Bordeaux, relocated the papacy to the city of Avignon. Clement V and subsequent "Avignon Popes" were said to be great lovers of wine and did much to promote it during the seventy-year duration of the Avignon Papacy. At the time, winegrowing around the town of Avignon was anything but illustrious. While the Avignon Papacy did much to advance the notoriety of Burgundy wines, they were also promoting viticulture of the surrounding area, more specifically the area 5–10 km north of Avignon, close to the banks of the Rhône River. Prior to the Avignon Papacy, viticulture of the area had been initiated and maintained by the Bishops of Avignon, largely for local consumption.
Clement V was succeeded by John XXII, who regularly drank the wines from the vineyards to the north, as well as Burgundy wine, and did much to improve viticultural practices there. Under John XXII, the wines of this area came to be known as "Vin du Pape"; this term later became Châteauneuf-du-Pape. John XXII is also responsible for erecting the famous castle that stands as a symbol for the appellation.
The village and three other surrounding communes produce wine, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region. Unlike its northern Rhône neighbors, Châteauneuf-du-Pape permits thirteen different varieties of grape; the blend is usually predominantly Grenache. Other red grapes include Cinsault, Counoise, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Syrah, Terret Noir, and Vaccarèse. White grapes include Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picardin, Roussanne, and Picpoul. In recent years, the trend has been to include fewer (or even none) of the allowed white varieties and rely heavily (or solely) upon the Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. One may suspect that this is a response to international wine-market trends and the desire to have this sometimes-rustic wine appeal to a broader commercial audience.
Before wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. began promoting them, the wines of Châteauneuf were considered rustic and of limited appeal in the U.S. However, his influence increased their price more than fourfold in a decade. In gratitude, the Châteauneuf Winemakers Union pushed for his becoming an honorary citizen of the village.
These wines are wonderful with food and they offer incredible layers of fruit, smoked meat, garrigue, earth, stone, and animal scents and flavors. You will hear the terms "rustic", "brooding" and maybe even "backward" when these wines are described, but you will certainly know you aren't drinking a Two-Buck Chuck when you enjoy these wines. What they may lack in polish and finesse, they more than make up for in complexity, interest, structure and intensity. While there are 13 grape varietals allowed for the production of red Chateauneuf du Pape, typically the blend of grapes is heavy on the Grenache and then followed by equal parts Mouvedre and Syrah and maybe some trace percentages of Cinsault.
We began our tasting with:
Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2006 – The production of white wines in Chateauneuf du Pape is limited and this estate makes a very balanced, savory white wine that is food friendly and free of any apparent new oak barrel aging (typical for the appellation).
Telegramme Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2006 –Tight, tart fruit with spice on the nose. This blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Mouvedre garnered a score of 88 pts. from Wine Spectator.
Chante Perdrix Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2006 –Ripe purple fruit, medium bodied with a hint of black licorice and a long finish. The wine is a blend of 80% Grenache with the balance being made up of Syrah, Mouvedre and Muscardin.
Mas de Boiszulan Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2006 – A savory nose, purple fruit, licorice and a wine with good structure and aging potential. This is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 10% Mouvedre and it was given a 91pt. score by Wine Spectator.
Domaine Lucien Barrot Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2005- A grapey nose with a savory-thyme/garrigue note. Good balance and the wine is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. Wine Spectator gave this 93pts.
Perrin Sinnards Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2005- Smokey nose with great red/purple fruit showing through. Well balanced with a bit of barnyard showing on the finish. This wine is a blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15%Mouvedre and is scored 92 pts. in Wine Spectator and a 91 by Parker.
Galet de Papes Viellies Vignes Chateuneuf du Pape Rouge 2005- Red fruit showing through-raspberry and black pepper-yum! This is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Mouvedre and 10% Syrah……….I would have guessed the Syrah component to have been higher. 92pts. by Steven Tanzer.
Vieux Telegraphe “La Crau” 2006- 93 points Wine Spectator: " very grippy style, with lots of sweet tapenade, tobacco, hot stone and braised chestnut notes weaving through a core of dark currant and fig fruit. There's a nice twinge of lavender on the structured finish. For the cellar. Best from 2010 through 2028." (11/08) 92 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Jan/Feb 09: Vivid red. Impressively complex bouquet of raspberry, dried cherry, garrigue and flowers. Exotic apricot and floral honey notes come up with air and carry onto the palate, which shows sweet red fruit flavors, a smoky quality and a velvety texture. This very elegant wine is already putting on a seductive show. Finishes smooth, juicy and very long." 92+ points Robert Parker (10/08) 14.5% abv.
Chateau Beaucastel 2006- Robert Parker says: Dense plum/ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet perfume of black truffles, camphor, earth, incense, new saddle leather, and loads of peppery, blackberry, and herb-infused, meaty, black cherry fruit. Deep, full-bodied, and dense, with sweet tannin, this explosively rich Chateauneuf is a stronger effort than the 2005, 2004, or 2003. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028." 95 pts.
After the tasting the group set up a potluck supper and dishes including a Roasted leg of lamb, meatballs, pasta, a rich buttered rice dish, assorted salads and cheeses were served.
As promised I have included a description of the term “Garrigue”.
To understand the term "garrigue" I think the following description by Daniel Brunier (owner of Vieux Telegraphe) is very apt, he says:
“The garrigue. That’s the place where nothing else will grow. It is the domaine of the wild lavender, wild rosemary, and scrub oak. It is a place austere and hospitable at once. With nothing more than your nose, you’ll know you are there! But if is is possible to stretch out on the ground without getting jabbed in the back or rear end, you are not really in the garrigue, because in the true garrigue, you’d need to find a flat rock just to sit down. The garrigue smells so good, I can smell it just thinking about it. And in the summer heat, if you piss in the garrigue it is as if you had prepared an herb tea. It is so fragrant, but the garrigue is never silent because it is teeming with life.”
