Region | |
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Subregion | France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Domaine de Cristia
The greatest wine from this estate to date is unquestionably their 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. Made from 100% old-vine Grenache that was brought up in a combination of different sized barrels, some of which were new, it offers an incredible bouquet of black raspberries, caramelized cherries, violets, garrigue and lavender. Full-bodied, massively concentrated, voluptuous and decadent, yet always light on its feet, pure and elegant, this is a profound example of old-vine Grenache that should make any Southern Rhone-lover's eyes roll back in their head. It's still an infant and will drink nicely for another 15-20 years.
Absolutely brilliant and my favorite wine of the trio of 2007s is their 100% Grenache cuvee, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. Aged completely in small, older oak barrels, this wine displays lavish quantities of blackberry and black cherry fruit, an intriguing floral component, and of course, the tell-tale kirsch, licorice, and lavender. Opulent, even voluptuous, and lavishly rich, with exceptional depth, texture, and a full-bodied finish, this is an enormously endowed, stunning example of old, old-vine Grenache made in an uncompromising fashion from a great terroir. Give it another 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following two decades.
Even more profound than the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Renaissance, is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes, made from 100% Grenache vines from sandy clay soils (the vines are between 70 and 85 years of age). This wine is aged completely in older small barrels. It is a candidate for the wine of the vintage. Dazzling in all respects, it boasts an inky/ruby/purple color, which is amazing given that this is all Grenache. It demonstrates the power of tiny yields and old vines. The extraordinary nose of crushed rocks, framboise, creme de cassis, and kirsch is dramatic. As the wine sits in the glass, notions of acacia flowers, licorice, and incense also make an appearance. On the palate, this is a wine of unreal concentration, a true elixir with a full-bodied style, yet incredibly fresh and well-delineated. There are oodles of concentrated red and black fruits, plenty of Provencal typicity, and a blockbuster finish that lasts well over a minute. This is prodigious stuff that should age into a monumental bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape in 7-10 years. It should live for two decades after that