Region | |
---|---|
Subregion | France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
Colour | Red |
Type | Still |
View all vintages of this wine | View all wines by Clos Saint-Jean
The top cuvee, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus-Ex Machina, a blend of 60% Grenache from ancient vines aged in foudres and 40% Mourvedre aged in small barrels, might well turn out to be the wine of the vintage. It is one of the few 2004s that can compete with the dozen or so monumental wines produced in Chateauneuf du Pape in 2003. This wine is dense ruby/purple to the rim, has a stunning nose of blackberry, crushed roasted Provencal herbs, and rich aged beef-like smells. The wine is sweet from glycerin and richness rather than any residual sugar as it is totally dry. It has fabulous texture, great purity, and stunning complexity and length. This is a real blockbuster wine that totally transcends the vintage character. Drink it over the next 12-15+ years.
These wines still remain somewhat underpriced vis-a-vis their quality, and a real bargain is the regular cuvee of Chateauneuf du Pape, normally a blend of 70-75% Grenache all aged in tank or large foudres and the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault.