From: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône Valley, France
Blend: 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah, 5% Cinsault
Taste and Critical Acclaim:
“I‘ve always loved the base cuvée from this reference point estate and I still remember being blown away by, the 1990 when I was just starting to learn about wine. … This cuvée is never the biggest or richest of the vintage, but it excels on its purity and elegance, and I always find a Burgundian style in this wine. The 2018 has a great nose of kirsch liqueur and framboise intermixed with lots of flowery incense, white pepper, and Provençal garrigue-like aromas. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has silky tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish, all making for a great example of this estate as well as the vintage. Give bottles 2-3 years in a cold cellar, then enjoy over the following 15+ years.” —Jeb Dunnuck, 93 points (October 2020)
“Always one of the more garrigue-scented Châteauneufs, the Brunels' 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape includes hints of lavender and bay leaf on the nose, alongside ripe cherries and hints of plum, cola and mocha. It's medium to full-bodied, silky-textured and elegant, with no rough edges at all, so it goes down easily, even at this young age. I'd opt for drinking it over the next decade. Because of low yields, there's no Cuvée Centenaire this year, with fruit from those vines being included here.” —Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, 92 points
“Offers a nice, sharp and focused damson plum, bitter cherry and red currant fruit profile, finely beaded acidity and a mouthwatering minerality, all while dried rose petal, garrigue and savory details fill in the background. Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault. Best from 2022.” —Wine Spectator, 92 points
Pairing: “The powerful taste of Châteauneuf-du-Pape will make it perfect with dishes which have a strong taste and strong subtle aromas: so, as a starter or served as an aperitif, it will delight the palate of game lovers or of complex tastes of underwood. Indeed, serve it with coarse pâté made with pork, saucisson or also with appetizers made with mushrooms boletus or especially truffles.
However, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape will also suitable for vegetarians and vegans because it goes very well with southern vegetables such as eggplants or zucchini, mixed baked vegetables or a vegetarian moussaka. As to cheese, Châteauneuf-du-Pape will particularly go well with goat, ewe or cow’s milk cheese with a bloomy. It is also appreciated with a Saint Félicien or a Saint Marcelin.
Its complexity and full body make it a perfect complement to rich family dishes, especially those made with meat even if, as wee already mentioned it is quite possible to serve this wine with vegetarian dishes. For pairing this wine with a main dish, we prefer tasty meats such as game served with mushrooms. One of the best dish that could be served with an aged Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leg of lamb which will bring out the cooking aromas. You can also serve “Easter lamb” duck with boletus, wild boar or a beef stew with this red wine. To sum-up favor an old Châteauneuf-du-Pape with lamb or game and rather a young wine for dishes cooked with mushrooms.” —Domaine André Brunel
Adding our voice to the mix, we found the following recipe, which brings a combination of richness and freshness that would pair beautifully with this wine. Both prunes and oranges are very common ingredients in this area.
Braised Pork With Prunes and Orange
About. Domaine André Brunel is of Châteauneuf’s most revered estates. The family’s winemaking history dates back to the 17th century with the purchase of a vineyard plot to the north of Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe from the Bishop of Avignon, and continues to this day with the eighth generation of the family currently at the helm. Though originally named Domaine Les Cailloux by Lucien Brunel in 1954, its current name is after the seventh-generation owner, André Brunel.
Under André’s leadership, the estate expanded rapidly, with vines in the Côtes du Rhône AOC as well as Vins de Pays. In 1971, after André took over, he launched Grenache-dominant Cuvée Centennaire, the estate’s top wine, which solidified André Brunel as a major player in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In addition, the family is leading the charge in the region for eco-friendly farming practices, eschewing chemicals at every turn. André’s son, Fabrice, is now at the helm of this pioneering estate, overseeing their three appellations: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and Vaucluse Vins de Pays, which represent three different tiers of wine. Grenache is the star variety in these wines, with a smattering of Mourvèdre, Syrah, and Cinsault.
This cuvée gets its name from the countless round pebbles present in the vineyards as well being at the origin of the Domaine’s name. The vineyard is composed of multiple plots, with each having its own characteristics which give this wine its incredible complexity: Bois de la Ville and Les Serres have a deficient and filtering gravel bed making for perfect draining of water to obtain a very concentrated juice. Farguerol and Cansaud have red and blue clays which boast an extremely rich aromatic property. Finally Cabrières and Revès whose chalky-like limestone brings the overall structure and long finish to the whole. The grapes that go into this cuvée are destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks prior to spending 18 months in mostly (85%) concrete tanks, plus a mix of older barrels.
