Grenache

Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge is made from 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah.

A clear and very expressive nose with notes of black fruits, spices and licorice. The mouth reveals tanins that are already supple with a great balance.
The finish is long, on black fruits, licorice and a slight salinity.

Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge is made from grilled rib of beef, roasted duck with figs, boar stew.

Review:

Produced from a blend of 50% Grenache, 45% Mourvedre and 5% Syrah, the wine is rich, concentrated, deep and lush with layers of meaty, peppery, red fruits, wet earth and spice. The wine is powerful, hedonistic and complex, thus it requires a year or two before it is ready to go. Drink from 2025 - 2038.

-Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider 93 Points

"The ample nose of dried cherry, candied orange and fresh rosemary leads you into this rich, yet fresh Chateauneuf with fine tannins and enough acidity to keep it clean. Lively and moderately dry finish. A cuvee of 75% grenache, 10% syrah, 10% mourvedre and 5% clairette. Drink or hold."

- James Suckling (April 2023), 92 pts

Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf du Pape XV Rouge is made from 50% Grenache, 45% Mourvèdre and 5% Syrah. From 100 year old vines. 

It shows a bit of toasty oak up front but balances that with ample black cherry fruit and soft, dusty tannins. Long and harmonious on the finish, it should drink well on release in 2019 and for a decade or more after that.

Pairs with beef with mustard sauce - Pork tenderloin with winter vegetables - Roasted duck - Malaysian pork chop and spice tea.

Review:

"A lovely example of what one of the Rhone Valley's top appellations is capable of producing. A bright saturated purple in the glass, the nose and palate are highlighted by berry and cherry fruit, with hints of spice. The palate reflects the nose, with warmth and spice, in addition to the exquisite red fruit."

- Beverage Dynamics (Spring 2024), 95 pts

Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge Cuvee Anonyme 2019  is made from 60% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and the rest is "field blend" with the following grapes : grenache, vaccarese, counoise, mourvèdre, terret noir and muscardin.

One of Xavier Vignon's first almost anonymous blends only in MAGNUMS ! 

The grapes come from "collection vines", where many grape varieties are planted together, making it difficult to identify the exact share of each variety: grenache, vaccarese, counoise, mourvèdre, terret noir and muscardin.

Partially destemmed and vinified in a mix of demi-muids and tank, it offers a beautifully pure, vibrant bouquet of black raspberries, white and black pepper, candied orange, and violets. Complex, layered, and nuanced, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a seamless texture, and a great finish. It has both elegance and richness, and will keep for 15+ years.

Pairing: Duck in sauce with olives. Ravioli with porcini mushrooms, cream of parsnip and bacon crisps. Partridge leg confit with olive oil.

Review:

"The flagship from Xavier is the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Anonyme, and in 2019 it’s 60% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, and the balance a mix of permitted varieties. Partially destemmed and brought up in a mix of demi-muids and tank, it offers a beautifully pure, vibrant bouquet of black raspberries, white and black pepper, candied orange, and violets. Complex, layered, and nuanced, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a seamless texture, and a great finish. It has both elegance and richness, and will keep for 15+ years."

- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2020), 95-97 pt

Xavier Vignon Cotes du Rhone Rouge Vieilles Vignes is made from 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah

Grenaches are almost hundred years old, Mourvèdres more than 60 years old and Syrahs are 45 years old in average.

There's a spicy, green peppercorn edge to the Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes. It's medium to full-bodied, with svelte, supple tannins and plenty of plummy fruit that exhibits more savory notes and spice on the long finish.

Review:

"The deep black-cherry and ripe-blackberry fruit, plus the full, soft body push this to the edge of sweetness on the palate. However, the gentle dry tannins at the velvety finish just keep it on track. A style that now seems a bit dated, but plenty of wine drinkers love this. Drink now."

- James Suckling (March 2022), 90 pts

Xavier Vignon Gigondas Rouge is made from  85% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre.

A purple color with violet tints. On the nose, the beautiful ripeness offers everything an array of black fruits (cherries, blackberries) and toasted spices.
On the palate, fine and concentrated tannins are balanced by a nice salinity. Delicious peppery notes complete the long finish.

Pairs with grilled lamb - Roasted Quails with raisins -Venison with cranberries - Risotto with mushrooms.

Review:

"Swirls of black raspberry ice cream and dark chocolate combine in Vignon's 2019 Gigondas, a blend of 95% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre from numerous small parcels dotted around the appellation. Matured in a large wooden vat, there's no apparent oak aromas or flavors, just the purity of old-vine fruit, creamy tannins, ample concentration and a bright, vibrant—and long—finish. With its combination of intensity and tension, it should drink well for a decade or more. - Joe Czerwinski"

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (September 2020), 93 pts

Xavier Vignon Lirac Rouge is made from 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah.

Ripe fruit, ranging from raspberries and cherries to hints of stone fruit. Yet, it's not over the top or simply fruity. This full-bodied wine adds hints of leather, garrigue and licorice along the way, evolving from creamy to velvety on the palate and through the lasting finish.

Pairs with lamb Tagine with dry fruits - Duck breast fillet with green pepper sauce - BBQ Prime rib of beef.

Review:

A focused, dense and serious Lirac red. It has notes of dark berries, dried herbs, bay leaves and baking spices on the nose, following through to a full body with plush tannins. Dense, intense core of sweet berries and spices and a focused finish. Drink or hold.

-James Suckling 91 Points