The thick, unctuously-textured 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape possesses good acidity, superb purity, a full-bodied mouthfeel, and oodles of black raspberry and black cherry fruit intermixed with roasted herb, loamy soil, tobacco leaf, pepper and meaty notes. This intensely concentrated 2010 should drink well for 10-15 years.
This tiny estate, which used to be part of the Domaine des Relagnes, produces two cuvees of Chateauneuf du Pape, the traditional cuvee from terroirs near Clos St.-Jean and Grand Pierre, and a 100% old vine Grenache offering called Les Petits Pieds d’Armand from ancient vines (nearly 110 years of age) planted in sandy soil. Besides making first-class wines, Olivier Hillaire is also the village’s top baker.
Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173