Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
Offering more kirsch liqueur, lavender, incense and sweet spice, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pure is another gorgeous, balanced, seamless beauty. Fine tannin, full-bodied richness, and solid freshness all develop in the glass, and it has a great finish. Like the traditional cuvée, it's elegant, long, and will keep for 15+ years. This cuvée is always from the same parcel located at the intersection of the le Grand Pierre, le Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits, is fermented all in concrete and spends 18 months in a single foudre. There are only 250 cases produced and it’s year in, year out, one of the greatest Grenache’s made in the world.
There's no denying I love Grenache grown on sandy sites within the appellation, like the Domaine La Barroche 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure. It's vinified in concrete and raised in foudre, so it should hit a home run with me. There's tons of cherry fruit packed into this wine, a velvety texture...so what's my issue with it? The heat. The alcohol shows through on the mid-palate and the finish. If you're more tolerant of that in your table wines than I am, you'll probably score it several points higher. As it is, I still wouldn't turn a glass down if offered. 2017 - 2025
One of the most impressive barrel samples of this cuvée I can remember, the 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Pure is always almost 100% Grenache that comes from a tiny parcel of sandy soils located right at the junction of the Grand Pierre, Pointu and Rayas lieux-dits. Partially destemmed, vinified in concrete and aged in a single, ancient foudre, this sensational-looking Châteauneuf du Pape dishes out incredible amounts of ripe cherries, blueberries, crushed rocks and crushed flowers. Big, full-bodied, thick and unctuous, it got a few expletives in the notes, and for all its size and weight, it stays lively, pure and even elegant. My money is on this beauty being one of the top wines in the vintage