The 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape (60% Grenache, a whopping 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and 10% Cinsault, all aged in old oak) reveals lovely berry fruit, soft, round, generous flavors, lots of Provencal herbs and a seductive overall personality. Enjoy it over the next 5-6 years.
(Not yet released)
This estate’s 36+ acres are all located in the northern tier of Chateauneuf du Pape, in such well-known vineyard sites (or, as the French call them, lieux-dits) as Chapouin, Coudoulet and La Gardiole. For years, most of Berthet-Rayne’s wine was sold to leading negociants, and while some still is, they now produce about 2,000 cases of their traditional cuvee of Chateauneuf du Pape, followed by just under 1,000 cases of an oak-aged cuvee and 200 or so cases of a luxuriously rich offering called Cadiac. The 2011s are very good. The bottled 2010s have turned out to be as good as I thought they were last year.
Importers: Elite Wine Import Co., Lorton, VA; tel. (703) 339-8150; Eagle Eye Imports, Bloomfield Hills, MI; tel. 734-467-7088; Casa Bruno LLC, Portland, OR; tel. (503) 235-7429 and Blue Coast International, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 1753, New York, New York 10165,Tel: (212) 867-0073