Products meeting the search criteria

Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot 2016 is made from 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot.

Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, teamed with Washington State wine visionary Allen Shoup to produce this limited release wine.

With its intense color and inviting aromas of dark berries, licorice, baking spice and a hint of smoke, the Pedestal is a bold wine that leaves a lasting impression. Dark fruit flavors integrated with sweetness from the barrel and richness from the tannins come together seamlessly, lingering across a structured mid-palate and lengthy finish.

Winemaking: Hand-harvested grapes were double-sorted to remove green material that might impart harsh tannins, then most of the lots were cold soaked to build richness and flavor before undergoing whole-berry fermentation in 55L upright French wood tanks. This, combined with gentle pump-overs throughout fermentation, enhanced the wine’s color, texture and mouthfeel. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak barrels.

Review:

"The 2016 Pedestal from Michel Rolland checks in as a blend of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in 85% new French oak. It has a rocking bouquet of smoked black fruits, espresso, chocolate, and tobacco that gives way to a full-bodied, plump, incredibly sexy red that does everything right. It's one serious mouthful of Merlot and should keep for 10-12 years." - Jeb Dunnuck (April 2019), 95 pts

"The 2016 Pedestal Merlot has a precise nose of dusty plum, red flowers and soft oak tones with an elegant aroma of pencil lead fluttering about. The medium to full-bodied palate is clean and correct, with plush dark red fruit, dusty tannins, purple flowers and soft oak spices of vanilla, cardamom and nutmeg. The wine ends with a long, thoughtful, well-balanced finish that delivers complexity and pleasure simultaneously. Michel Rolland made this beauty of a bottle. - Anthony Mueller"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #246, December 2019), 94 pts 

Landes Cuvee Prestige Lussac Saint Emilion is made from 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc

Color: deep dark ruby intense color
Aroma: racy and aromatic nose with aromas of ripe red fruit, floral notes, wood and spice with a touch of vanilla.
Taste: this wine has a good structure and some powerful aromas of raspberries, blackcurrant, vanilla and it is powerful with a complex finish. The oak is present but not dominant. The tannins are quite well integrated already.

Average age of the Vines: 60 years Yield : 50 hectoliters / hectare. Grape picking: harvest by machine. Vats: Stainless steel thermoregulated and computerized. Fermentation: 45 to 50 days with a final 35°C warm steeping. Winemaking: Malolactic fermentation in new oak barrel. Ageing: 16 months in new French Oak barrels from Allier and Limousin. Annual production: 10,000 bottles. (833 cases)

Review:

"This shows aromas of ripe blackcurrants and blackberries with walnuts, spices and cocoa. Medium-bodied with firm tannins and a bright, succulent character. Racy finish. Drink or hold."

- James Suckling (December 2022), 92 pts

Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle No. 26 is a blend of 58% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir

 white gold in color with delicate and persistent bubbles, Grand Siecle No. 26 offers a very complex nose which mixes honeysuckle, lemon, clementine and fresh butter aromas, followed by notes of hazelnut and a touch of honey. The feel in the mouth is very delicate and fresh with candied lemon and fresh hazelnut aromas. The palate is silky and mineral with notes of honeysuckle, flaked almonds and clementine.

It pairs with high quality produce and refined dishes, including shellfish, noble fish and white meats such as Thai style langoustine tartare and fine roasted poultry.

• 3 exceptional years chosen for their complementarity among the rare Laurent‑Perrier vintages.


• A majority of Chardonnay complemented by Pinot Noir from a maximum of 11 Grands Crus out of the 319 Crus in the Champagne region.
  


• Aged for 10 years on the lees for the bottle format and a few more years for the magnum format.

Vintage in Champagne is usually synonymous with excellence for Prestige Cuvées. Contrarily, Laurent‑Perrier believes that only the art of assemblage can offer what nature can never provide, that is, the perfect year.

The expression of the perfect year is that of a great champagne wine that has long ageing potential and over time develops depth, intensity and aromatic complexity yet retains its freshness and vibrancy.

Since 1959, Grand Siècle has been revealed only 26 times in bottle format and 23 times in magnum.

The « Grand Siècle » (Great Century) is the name given to one of the most prosperous periods (17th century) in the history of France known for the capacity of man, through his works, to create what nature cannot. Louis XIVth, known as the « Sun King », by creating the « Château de Versailles » and its gardens, was the architect of this model of harmony, balance and perfection.

The symmetry and perspective of the « Jardins à la française », the capacity to grow Mediterranean fruits (especially Oranges inside the « Orangerie ») in such a Northern climate, creating the Grand Canal, the fountains and ponds with no nearby rivers are many illustrations of this ability of man to sublimate natural elements. The name of Grand Siècle was chosen for Laurent‑Perrier’s Prestige Cuvée based on this common vision to reach a perfection that Nature, on its own, cannot provide.

Review:

This is really something. Electric on the palate. The aromas are so complex with sliced fresh and dried ginger, subtle pie crust, tarte tatin and hints of nutmeg with some salted caramel. Toasted bread, too. Always subtle. The palate is full- to medium-bodied yet hemmed-in with a freshness and balance that draws you back. Savory and vibrant. It's full of energy. Spectacular. Fascinating. Symphonic blend of 2012, 2008 and 2007. 65% of the 2012, 25% of the 2008 and 10% of the 2007. Eight grand cru. Chardonnay 58% and 42% pinot noir. Disgorged February 2023. 10 years on the lees. 7g/L dosage.

-James Suckling 100 Points 

Landes Grand Heritage Lussac Saint Emilion is made from 100 percent Merlot.

First vintage of this wine was 2010 to pay tribute to the founding father of Chateau des Landes - Paul Lassagne. He gave the family a great legacy of terroir, passion and know-how to craft this great cuvee produced from a selection of the finest grapes that are vinified and aged in 600 liter French oak foudres, just like it was done in the old days. The resulting wine is complex and aromatic offering bold aromas and flavors of dark berries, floral tones, spice, oak and vanilla. The palate is onctuous and powerful, well structured with ripe tannins. Well balanced and a complex finish. 

Average age of the Vines: 60 years Yield : 50 hectoliters / hectare. Grape picking: harvest by machine. Vats: Stainless steel thermoregulated and computerized. Fermentation: 45 to 50 days with a final 35°C warm steeping. Winemaking: Malolactic fermentation in new oak barrel. Ageing: 16 months in new French Oak barrels from Allier and Limousin. Annual production: 10,000 bottles. (833 cases)

Alain Jaume Crozes Hermitage La Butte d'Or is made from 100 percent Syrah.

The wine comes from vineyards planted on well drained soils that are composed of gravels deposited by the Isere and Rhone Rivers. They store heat and bring a beautiful expression of Syrah.

The nose offers intense aromas of violet, blueberry and blackcurrant that mingle with subtle notes of mint and black pepper. In the mouth, the wine is juicy and pleasant with a velvety texture.

Hand-picked grapes, vinification in stainless steel vats. Total destemming. Cold pre-fermentation maceration.

Review:

"The 2019 Crozes-Hermitage La Butte D'Or is incredibly spicy and peppery, with a medium-bodied, elegant, nicely balanced style. Delivering silky yet present tannins as well as good acidity, it’s just about as gulpable and delicious as they come. Enjoy bottles over the coming 4-6 years."

- Jeb Dunnuck (November 2020), 89-91 pts

Bodegas Alto Moncayo Aquilon Garnacha is made from 100% Garnacha.

The wines of Alto Moncayo are crafted to express the unique terroir of windswept high elevation Campo de Borja DO; and to serve as a benchmark for world class Old Vine Garnacha.

Aquilón is "The jewel in the Crown" a selection of the best barrels from the best lots. The vines are 60-100 years old.

Review:

This garnet-colored wine offers aromas of black currant, black raspberry and black licorice, with just a touch of charcuterie. The fruit flavors shine through with subtle notes of crushed violet. It has soft tannic structure, with a pleasant bit of grippiness in the post palate as it leads up to the long, long, finish.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

About the Vineyard

Vineyards in Tabuenca and Borja, planted with indegenous clones of Garnacha starting in the 1920s.

Wine Production

The selected highest quality grapes are placed into small stainless-steel tanks of 7 tons capacity. The must is basket pressed and fermentation is finished in new French and American oak where it complets the malolactic fermentation. Wine is aged in the barrels for 24 months before bottling.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Very deep red, scarlet rim

Aroma: Minerals and vanilla. Hints of raisins and dark Chocolate

Palate: As typical of the vintage, power and intensity with disarming elegance.

Food Pairing:

Goes well with beef, pork, game based stews and rice dishes.

Chateau Rauzan-Segla is made from 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc.

Ségla is the second wine of the prestigious Château Rauzan Ségla and a Craft + Estate exclusive. The history of Château Rauzan-Ségla dates back to 1661 when Pierre de Rauzan acquired the estate. Rauzan-Ségla grew in reputation in a remarkable way and produced some of the most highly rated wines in Bordeaux. They delighted many well-known dignitaries, most notably Thomas Jefferson who came across this wine during his visit to Bordeaux in 1787, subsequently placing an order for several cases in 1790. Some decades later, the historic 1855 Bordeaux Classification ranked Château Rauzan-Ségla as a 2nd Growth. Today, the property is owned by the Wertheimer family of the fashion house Chanel and managed by Nicolas Audebert.

About half of the 126 acres (51 hectares) of vineyard are around the château, but there are additional parcels near Château Margaux and Brane-Cantenac. The vines are comprised of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, with an average vine age of 30 years and a vine density of 2,670 to 4,050 plants per acre (6,600 to 10,000 vines/ha). Soils at Rauzan-Ségla are composed of deep, fine gravel, which makes for natural irrigation.

More accessible than the first wine, the aim for Ségla is to produce a wine of extremely good quality and value reflecting all the elements of Margaux and giving a true insight to the quality of the Grand Vin. The estate puts the same amount of effort and care into the production of Ségla as it does the first wine, making it a true and authentic introduction to the château.

Review

This is a full-bodied wine, from one of the leading estates in Margaux. It is ripe with juicy blackberry and black-currant fruits. This fruit contrasts with the dark tannins and powerful structure. It is going to develop slowly and impressively to be ready to drink from 2025.

-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points

Destroyer North Coast Red is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 20% Merlot 10% Zinfandel 5% Syrah

DESTROYER Red Wine Blend is a whimsical blend of North Coast varieties. We start with Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, and then add Merlot 20%, Zinfandel 10% and finish with Syrah 5%. 65% is grown in Lake County in the Red Hills AVA, the balance is Napa Valley. This wine is aged in French oak for 10 months.

DESTROYER is rich and flavorful. Red and dark fruits are apparent in the nose with Plum, Cherry and Blueberry tones. The aroma is elegant and shows subtle signs of oak nuance. The pallet explodes with deep deliciousness! The finish lingers and invites a second glass or two. Invite your favorite friends to try, and share with your hottest date.

Domaine du Colombier Hermitage Rouge is made from 100 percent Syrah. 

Perfect with beef ribs, grilled meats and cheese.

Manually harvested with destemmed grapes and fermented for about 2 to 3 weeks in temperature controlled vats, with an ageing period of 12 months, 65% in oak barrels and 35% in concrete tanks.

Review:

Brought up in 30% new demi-muids, with the balance in used barrels, the 2017 Hermitage is beautifully pure and layered, with smoking good notes of crème de cassis, white flowers, crushed rocks, and violets. Deep, full-bodied, and concentrated on the palate, it has plenty of tannins and is going to need 5-7 years of bottle age. This is a sensational Hermitage from Colombier that will drink well for 25+ years.

These wines are made by the talented Florent Viale and shine for their purity as well as character. While the winemaking here is traditional, with the wines destemmed and brought up mostly in used demi-muids, the purity of fruit can give the impression that wines are more modern styled than they are. They will all benefit from short-term cellaring.

-Jeb Dunnuck 96+ Points

DuMOL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100 percent Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker’s Notes:

Our 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet is a classically built wine typical of this wonderful Napa vintage: deep fruit, enveloping texture, mineral freshness and long supple structure. It’s a harmonious interweaving of four distinct vineyards that intricately balances power and finesse.

With its exceptional farming and rocky volcanic soil, Meteor Vineyard is one of the finest sites in Coombsville. Its fruit dominates the blend and ensures both intensity and delicacy, with soaring aromatics followed by succulent dark fruit. 

True Dog Knoll serves as a new focal point in this vintage, its world-renowned west Oakville deep gravel soils bringing deep texture and mineral focus. 

Layering in a small amount of Petit Verdot from our Roach Estate in St. Helena provides an element of blue fruit and refinement that balances beautifully with the darker brooding power of Ballard Vineyard’s mountaintop muscle and structure.

With its harmonious layers and textures, this wine reminds me of the 2012 Napa Valley vintage. Dark, inky and opaque, it presents aromas of plum, violets and graphite. Beautiful fruit cascades almost immediately to more savory flavors: crushed rock dustiness, cocoa and cedar. A good, firm mineral spine runs through to the long, bittersweet finish. Ever-evolving in the glass, this wine is poised now and will age beautifully over the next 10+ years.

Review:

A ripe, friendly style, with a creamy-textured core of cassis and cherry preserve flavors underscored by anise and apple wood notes that stay nicely

melded with the fruit on the finish. There’s a lingering cast iron note keeping this grounded.

-Wine Spectator 93 Points

Fayolle Crozes-Hermitage Rouge La Rochette is made from 25-year-old vines planted on loess and red granitic soils. 100% Syrah.

Deep ruby red color. 
The wine has plenty to offer with red and black fruit aromas, as well as a good minerality. 
The finish is long, clean and juicy and offers some white pepper spiciness typical of the best Crozes-Hermitage.

Soil type is red brittle granite and white soil.
Hand harvested in small crates. The grapes are then pumped into tanks (full cluster, not destemmed). 
It will stay in this tank for 15 days for the skin contact maceration and the Alcoholic fermentation.
They will also use the "rack and return" technique (delestage).
Then the wine is transfered into neutral French Oak barrels where the wine will complete the Malo-Lactic fermentation.

Laurent Veyrat Crozes Hermitage l'ivresse des Voleyses is made from 100% Syrah.

Review:

"Slightly more expensive, the 2020 Crozes-Hermitage L’Ivresse Des Voleyses is similarly purple-hued and has a great nose of ripe red and blue fruits interwoven with plenty of pepper, flowery incense, and spicy nuances. It’s pure, meduim-bodied, and beautifully balanced, with integrated acidity and outstanding length. It’s very much in the style of this classic, balanced vintage and is going to have over a decade of longevity."
-Jeb Dunnuck (2022), 91-93 points

Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot is made from 82% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Malbec.

Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, teamed with Washington State wine visionary Allen Shoup to produce this limited release wine.

With its intense color and inviting aromas of dark berries, licorice, baking spice and a hint of smoke, the Pedestal is a bold wine that leaves a lasting impression. Dark fruit flavors integrated with sweetness from the barrel and richness from the tannins come together seamlessly, lingering across a structured mid-palate and lengthy finish.

Winemaking: Hand-harvested grapes were double-sorted to remove green material that might impart harsh tannins, then most of the lots were cold soaked to build richness and flavor before undergoing whole-berry fermentation in 55L upright French wood tanks. This, combined with gentle pump-overs throughout fermentation, enhanced the wine’s color, texture and mouthfeel. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak barrels.

Review:

Long Shadows has crafted a beautiful new Right Bank style 2018 Merlot Pedestal, which is nearly all Merlot (82%) with smaller portions of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Once on the nose this shows an intoxicating bouquet of black currant jelly, espresso bean and shades of black licorice candy. The mouthfeel captured here is exquisite as the Merlot seamlessly glides across the mid-palate delivering a decadent core of dark fruits, black licorice, black peppercorn and espresso ground tones. Finishing very long, this is already a beautifully evolved wine that will improve with an hour in the decanter

Vinous 96 Points

"The 2016 Pedestal Merlot has a precise nose of dusty plum, red flowers and soft oak tones with an elegant aroma of pencil lead fluttering about. The medium to full-bodied palate is clean and correct, with plush dark red fruit, dusty tannins, purple flowers and soft oak spices of vanilla, cardamom and nutmeg. The wine ends with a long, thoughtful, well-balanced finish that delivers complexity and pleasure simultaneously. Michel Rolland made this beauty of a bottle. - Anthony Mueller"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #246, December 2019), 94 pts 

Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot is made from 82% merlot, 15% cabernet sauvignon and 3% petit verdot.

Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, teamed with Washington State wine visionary Allen Shoup to produce this limited release wine.

With its intense color and inviting aromas of dark berries, licorice, baking spice and a hint of smoke, the Pedestal is a bold wine that leaves a lasting impression. Dark fruit flavors integrated with sweetness from the barrel and richness from the tannins come together seamlessly, lingering across a structured mid-palate and lengthy finish.

Winemaking: Hand-harvested grapes were double-sorted to remove green material that might impart harsh tannins, then most of the lots were cold soaked to build richness and flavor before undergoing whole-berry fermentation in 55L upright French wood tanks. This, combined with gentle pump-overs throughout fermentation, enhanced the wine’s color, texture and mouthfeel. The finished wine was aged 22 months in 85% new French oak barrels.

Review:

"The 2019 Pedestal Merlot was made with 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. The nose opens with a firm backbone of fresh and ripe black plums and dark cherries before delightful oaky essences sway from the glass with notions of baked earth. Full-bodied, the palate offers a firm mouthfeel that lifts with time to reveal a succulent tannic edge and juicy flavors of spiced plums and blackberry skin with brown baking spices, vanilla and nutmeg that resonate with vibrancy and power. The wine continues to evolve and reveal elegant complexities before ending with a long spicy finish with delightful oak tones. Just under 32,000 bottles were filled after the wine rested for 22 months in all French oak, 86% new barrels. - Anthony MUELLER"

- Wine Advocate (May 11th 2023), 94 pts

 Patrimony Caves des Lions is made from 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 48% Cabernet Franc.

A marriage of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, one cannot but be taken by the uber-dark color of this wine. Yet when the first sip is taken, an unexpected profile emerges from the glass with elegance and freshness accompanied by a wealth of minerality. The nose explodes with aromas of cassis, cured meats, coffee, licorice, dark chocolate, and spice. Full-bodied, this flawlessly balanced wine will keep you thinking for a long time while the finish does not stop. 

 Reviews:

This truly world-class blend of 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% Cab Franc continues to impress. It possesses an in- comparable mouthfeel, setting a benchmark for the region. Its sultry, round, violet- and cocoa-kissed tannins engage with a plum-pudding effect. The body weight is perceptible, engaging with a gliding wash of kirsch and black pepper to make for a silky, textural dream.

-Tasting Panel 99 Points

The 2019 Caves des Lions is a blend of free-run Cabernet Sauvignon (52%) and Cabernet Franc (48%) matured for 22 months in 100% new French oak and bottled in December of 2021. Opaque ruby in color, it has layered aromas of blackcurrant, lilac, graphite, fried savory herbs and game meats. The full-bodied palate is powerful yet balanced, its restrained, mineral-laced fruit complemented by mouthwatering acidity, and it boasts a long, graceful finish. Harmonious and latent, it will demand plenty of patience as it unwinds in bottle—the Patrimony wines tend to age at a glacial pace.

-Robert Parker Wine Advocate 99 Points

Landes Cuvee Tradition Lussac Saint Emilion is made from 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc

Color: deep ruby intense color.
Aroma: racy and aromatic nose with aromas of ripe red fruit.
Taste: this wine is silky, round and smooth first taste, with aromas of raspberries, and blackcurrant, powerful and complex finish.

Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot Toscana IGT is made from Merlot.

Avignonesi Desiderio Merlot has an explosive olfactory impact. The wide aromatic bouquet ranges from cherry and plum jam to notes of black tea, rhubarb and graphite, with small final notes of fermented tobacco. The entrance is bursting. The palate is invested by the imposing and typical structure of Tuscan Merlot, enveloping and warm. Tastefully in symbiosis with the olfactory notes, the dense and linear tannin accompanies hints of coconut and black pepper in retrolfaction.

Review:

James Suckling 94 Points

Chateau Brule Secaille Grande Reserve Cotes de Bourg Rouge  is made from 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec.

The color is deep dark ruby. limpid and brilliant. The nose is intense and complex with hints of blackberries, sweet spicies, noble plain chocolate and Vanilla. The palate is full bodied, very long with well integrated tannins. The finish is very fresh and luscious with toasted notes in the background.

Average age of the vines is 30 years.
Manual harvest from September 21th to October 7th 2015.
Upon arrival at the winery, only the best grapes were selected using a sorting table.
Skin contact maceration during 2 weeks in temperature controlled vats.
Aged 12 months in Oak barrels. (1/3 new oak, 1/3 1 year old and 1/3 two year old barrels). They use 60% French Oak and 40% American Oak.

Served with red meat (beef filet, sirloin),  pork tenderloin, roasted duck breast with honey&orange sauce, roasted lamb with thyme, poultry and fine cheese.

Review:

  "A purple-colored, young wine dominated by Merlot, this is rich, structured and full of blackberries. With a good balance between the fruit and the tannins already in place, it shows excellent potential. Drink this already delicious but still firm wine from 2022. - ROGER VOSS"
- Wine Enthusiast (December 2018, Best of Year 2018 Issue), 90 pts

Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux is made from 95% Grenache, 5% Syrah.

Château de Saint Cosme is the leading estate of Gigondas and produces the benchmark wines of the appellation. The property has been in the hands of the Barruol family since 1490. Louis Barruol took over from his father in 1992 making a dramatic shift to quality and converting to biodynamics in 2010.

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux is the estate’s oldest vineyard and sits near the entrance to the winery. “It was first planted in 1870 following phylloxera. My uncles thought it wasn’t producing enough fruit and planned to uproot it in 1914,” says Louis Barruol, but “World War I interrupted that plan.”

The 1.8-hectare Le Claux—meaning “Clos” in old French—is a field blend of predominately Grenache. Louis Barruol believes 10% of the vineyard is from the original 1870 planting. Vines are replaced by massal selection and the average vine age is 60-years. The wine is made with whole cluster fermentation from indigenous yeasts, is aged in 20% new 228-liter barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration.

Tasting Notes

Brilliant violet color. Displays pungent, mineral- and spice-accented cherry, black raspberry, potpourri and licorice aromas, along with hints of savory herbs, vanillo and incense. Chewy and tightly focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry, dark berry and Moroccan spice flavors that unfurl slowly through the back half. It closes with firm tension, chewy tannins and excellent tenacity, leaving resonating cherry and floral notes behind. All barriques, a third of them new.

-Vinous 95-97 Points

Clos Saint-Jean is a 41-hectare estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape run by brothers Vincent and Pascal Maurel. Considered by many critics and wine-writers as the preeminent estate espousing the modern style of winemaking in Châteauneuf, this cellar is one of the oldest in the region, having been founded in 1900 by the greatgreat-grandfather of Vincent and Pascal, Edmund Tacussel. A short time after its founding and well before the AOP of Chateauneuf-du-Pape was created in 1923, Edmund began bottling estate wines in 1910.

The farming at Clos Saint-Jean is fully sustainable due to the warm and dry climate, which prevents the need for chemical inputs. Instead, Vincent and Pascal employ organic methods for pest control, mainly pheromones, to prevent pests from taking up residence in their vines, a process called amusingly enough in French, confusion sexuelle. The vines tended manually, and harvest is conducted in several passes entirely by hand.

Combe des Fous literally means, the hill of the fool. The hill, in this case, is located in the far southern reach of Le Crau which was left barren for many centuries because the layer of galets was so exceedingly deep that everyone assumed vines could never survive there. The fool in this situation is Edmund Tacussel, the great-great-grandfather of Vincent and Pascal Maruel who planted a Grenache vineyard on this site in 1905. That old-vine Grenache form the heart of this cuvée with a small amount of Syrah, Cinsault and Vaccarèse. La Combe des Fous is only made in the best vintages.

Review:

Pumps out heady raspberry, mulberry and blackberry compote notes that keep form and direction, thanks to a roasted apple wood spine and flanking ganache, garrigue and warm earth notes. Seriously grippy finish. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Vaccarèse.

-Wine Spectator 96 Points

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Combe Des Fous is a normal blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and the rest Vaccarèse and Cinsault. Beautiful, full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe black raspberries, violets, ground pepper, lavender, and herbes de Provence all emerge from this gorgeous barrel sample, and it shows the pure, fresh, yet still concentrated style of the vintage brilliantly.

-Jeb Dunnuck 94-97 Points