| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
| Colour | White |
| Type | Still |
While 2021 was a challenging vintage, there are some undeniably brilliant whites in the vintage, and the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes showed amazingly well. Crushed citrus, quince, orange zest, and minty minerality all shine in this deep, rich, layered, medium to full-bodied white. I called it the Montrachet of the Southern Rhône on release, and it shows this beautiful Montrachet-like mix of richness, freshness, and minerality in spades today. All Roussanne brought up in new barrels, it's going to be incredibly long-lived. Give bottles 3-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades. Drink 2029-2046.
It's really hard to do the aromas of this wine justice, such is their complexity, extending from the whole range of candied citrus through ripe apricot to dried thyme. Amazing mouthfeel, the creamy stony and delicately zesty aspects of the wine beautifully interwoven to create a ravishingly beautiful whole. In spite of the power this is light on its feet at the very long, refined finish. 100% roussanne from ancient vines. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
Lemon curd, piercing mineral freshness – wet hay, meadowsweet and conference pear. The palate has an overarching richness, suppleness and undercurrent of spicy cedar oak. Always balanced by a sense of zestiness. Yes, this needs time – the honey shines through towards the finish – super-concentrated style – fantastic. Drink 2028-2042.
Caramel and honey notes add an extra layer of richness to the ripe pineapple and melon fruit in the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes. Full-bodied and rich without seeming heavy, with a wonderfully long, silky finish, it should provide exceptional drinking for at least another 15 years.
Floral pear notes on the nose, an attractive and lively aromatic display. It has the characteristic generosity on the palate of this cuvée, but with slightly higher acidity than a typical vintage, and a beautifully fresh finish. Harmonious, appealing and enticing, and a touch of spice adds complexity. From a single parcel of Roussanne, planted in 1919 and grown biodynamically. Aged in one-year-old demi-muids and barriques. Maximum of 6,000 bottles per year. (Drink between 2025-2055)
It's really hard to do the aromas of this wine justice, such is their complexity, extending from the whole range of candied citrus through ripe apricot to dried thyme. Amazing mouthfeel, the creamy stony and delicately zesty aspects of the wine beautifully interwoven to create a ravishingly beautiful whole. In spite of the power this is light on its feet at the very long, refined finish. 100% roussanne from ancient vines. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
Stuart Pigott
In contrast, the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes (100% Roussanne) is brought up in all new oak, and it has a normal pH of 3.7 and an alcohol of 14.5%. (In comparison, the classic white has a pH of 3.6 and slightly less alcohol at 14%.) Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, it has a gorgeous perfume of caramelized white peach, acacia flowers, toasted spices, and orange blossom. One of the most powerful, concentrated whites in the vintage, its oak is perfectly integrated, it's flawlessly balanced, and as I've written in the past, it's the Montrachet of the Southern Rhône!
Brimming with citrus and acacia-blossom aromas, this extremely concentrated dry white has astonishing tension and vitality for this appellation. How can you resist the floral honey note at the fleshy heart of this masterpiece, or the astonishing mineral freshness at the super-long finish? 100% roussanne from ancient vines. From organically grown grapes.
