2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge Organic Chateau La Nerthe

La Nerthe's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is a blend of 37% Grenache, 29% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre, 7% Cinsault and 2% others. Aged in a substantial portion of new oak (20%), it shows hints of toast and vanilla on the nose, then plenty of concentrated cherry fruit on the palate. It's full-bodied and plush in texture, making it approachable now, but there's enough tannic backbone and length on the finish to think it will drink well for more than a decade.

Suckling 93: Up-to-date, classical style with alluring red florals, red berries and light, herbal accents. The palate rolls out plush, plump, dark berries in a silky, smooth chassis. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

Galloni 92,

Bright ruby. A highly perfumed nose displays ripe red fruit, lavender and woodsmoke scents that pick up licorice and allspice accents with air. Supple and broad in the mouth, offering sweet raspberry and spice cake flavors and a touch of succulent herbs. Hangs on very nicely on the penetrating, appealingly sweet finish, which features velvety tannins and a hint of cola.

-- Josh Raynolds

Deeply colored, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 37% Grenache, 29% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault and other permitted varieties. With classic notes of currants, ripe black cherries, new saddle leather, and peppery herbs, it's rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, with a pure, focused style that's going to age gracefully for 15-20 years. It's one of the finest classical cuvées I can remember.

One of Châteauneuf du Pape's oldest and largest estates, extending over 90 hectares (220 acres) around the castle. The Château La Nerthe vineyard has its origins in the 14th century, when viticulture spread throughout the region. Rebuilt and managed after the phylloxera crisis by the new owner, Commandant Joseph Ducos, Château La Nerthe is the heart of the Châteauneuf du Pape vineyard as we know it. From this experience, Baron Leroy de Boiseaumarié founded the first French "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" in Châteauneuf du Pape in 1936. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted on the table. They are then placed in vats for 18 to 21 days and pumped over and pressed down regularly, with the must being tasted daily during fermentation to ensure the best extraction of the berry components. Finally, malolactic fermentation takes place in oak barrels. Once this second fermentation is complete, the cuvée is aged for 12 months in large barrels. Bottling takes place six months later.

color/bouquet/taste
Deep, dark red color. Aromas of black currants, black tea and dried flowers. Rich, fruity, fatty and incredibly full-bodied in taste. The wine is balanced, pure and very intense.

FR-BIO-01