2016 Domaine de la Charbonniere Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Tasted out of bottle, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a beautiful wine from this team that exudes elegance. Black raspberries, garrigue, flowers, and incense notes all give way to a medium to full-bodied, silky, beautifully balanced red that has sweet tannin and a great finish. This classic cuvée is 70% Grenache and 15% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, mostly destemmed and aged in barrel and stainless steel. This fantastic, family-run estate is now firmly in the hands of sisters Caroline and Veronique Maret, yet they continue to receive help from their parents Mireille and Michel Maret and consultant Philippe Cambie. Looking at their Châteauneuf-du-Pape releases, they produce four cuvées: the Tradition, Mourre des Perdrix, Vieilles Vignes, and the Les Hautes Brusquières. The traditional cuvée comes from all the estate’s holdings and is typically a blend of 70% Grenache and 15% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre. It’s mostly destemmed and brought up in older barrels and stainless steel. It’s certain a terrific introduction into the style of the estate. The Mourre des Perdrix comes from more sandy soils just behind the estate and is the same blend as the classic cuvée. This cuvée is always the most seamless and elegant in the lineup. The Vieilles Vignes comes from the oldest vines of the estate and the pebbly soils of the La Crau lieu-dit. Based on 95% Grenache or more, with the balance Mourvèdre, it’s always the most structured, tannic, and masculine of the three special cuvées. Lastly, the Les Hautes Brusquières comes from the Brusquières plateau in the northern portion of the appellation and is a 60/40 split of Grenache and Syrah that’s destemmed and aged in a mix of foudre and barrels. This cuvée is generally the most opulent and full-bodied in the lineup, and while approachable in its youth, is capable of keeping for upward of two decades.

The recently bottled (three weeks before my visit) 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape was surprisingly open. It features delightfully ripe Grenache fruit that hints at stone fruit and milk chocolate, ample weight on the plate and a supple, easygoing personality. It should drink well for the next decade.