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Clos Saint Antonin Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu 2020  - First Bottle

Reviews

91 Jeb Dunnuck -
Just bottled prior to this tasting, the 2020 Côtes du Rhône Villages Plan De Dieu showed nicely, with a medium to full-bodied, plump, round, Provençal vibe in its darker fruits, pepper, violets, and garrigue-like aromas and flavors. A blend of 50% Grenache and the balance Syrah and Mourvèdre, drink this classic Plan de Dieu over the coming 4-6 years. It will give many a Châteauneuf du Pape a run for its money.
90 James Suckling -
The deep plum nose with a touch of prune and plenty of spice pulls you into this weighty Rhone red that’s very well made, but reminds me a bit of old-style Australian shiraz (the same grape). Enough acidity to keep this on track through the long, rich finish. Drink now.

Technical Details

  • Blend50% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and Syrah
  • WinemakerIsabelle Sabon
  • CountryFrance
  • RegionRhone Valley
  • AppellationCotes du Rhone Villages
  • VineyardPlan de Dieu
  • Aging/Cooperage12 months in éclair (Grenache) and 225-600L French oak barrels (Syrah & Mourvèdre)
  • Alcohol14%

Clos Saint Antonin Cotes du Rhone Villages Plan de Dieu 2020

Rhone Blends  |  France
JD91, JS90

57% off retail!

Made by the Sabon family of Châteauneuf du Pape’s revered Domaine de la Janasse, Clos Saint Antonin is a new project from their estate to the north, across the river from Gigondas. From old vines in the village of Plan de Dieu, this wine drinks like Châteauneuf’s richer cousin. At NEARLY 60% OFF, this is a new find that every CdP lover needs to try!

Seriously, $18.95 for a “Baby Châteauneuf” that Jeb Dunnuck says “will give many a Châteauneuf du Pape a run for its money”... are we for real?!?! You bet. This is a classic southern Rhone blend – roughly 50% grenache, 30% mourvedre, and 20% syrah from 50+-year-old vines in iron-rich clay soils littered with the region's famous “rolled pebble” stones. The varieties are harvested and fermented separately, with the grenache aged in large oak foudres while the syrah and mourvedre spend their time in neutral barriques.

The style of this wine is unapologetically hedonistic, with rich, dark, and ripe fruit notes of blackberries, black plums, and mulberries. The fruits are punctuated with ample spice notes of garrigue, black pepper, and clove – uplifted by a mineral edge and delicately floral tones. This has the structure and weight to survive another 5-7 years beautifully, but for pure, unbridled pleasure…it’s drinking quite well in the here and now! Delightfully complex and richly pleasing wine, even at the full retail of $45…but at 58% OFF, this is a tremendous wine to have in quantity. While it lasts!

About the Producer

Clos Saint Antonin is a 15 hectare estate located outside the town of Jonquières within the Côtes-du-Rhône Village of Plan de Dieu. A short drive away from Courthézon where Domaine de la Janasse is situated, Clos Saint Antonin was purchased by the Sabon family in 2014. Small, compact and contiguous estates rarely come on the market in the Rhône, let alone ones planted on the classic red clays, galets and sand typical of Plan de Dieu. While it is quite common to see the famed estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape looking over the Rhône river towards Lirac to expand their holdings, more and more are looking north to Plan de Dieu since this terroir is quite similar to what they find in their backyard. While the whole family is involved with its farming and winemaking, Isabelle Sabon is heading up this new project – one supplemented by some of her family’s vineyards in Le Crau for the Clos Saint Antonin Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

St Antonin is the name of the 18th century Provençale Mas that stands in the center of the property a name that has been used in documents dating back to the time of Napoleon. Isabelle makes four wines at her estate: a IGP Principauté d’Orange from Clairette, Chardonnay & Bourboulenc, a Côtes-du-Rhône from younger vines of Grenache, Syrah & Mourvèdre, a Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Plan de Dieu from older vines of Grenache, Mourvèdre & Syrah, and a Châteauneuf-du-Pape from old vines of Grenache located in La Fond du Loup and Le Crau. The grapes for these cuvées are farmed organically and harvested by hand then partially destemmed and fermented by natural yeasts at Domaine de la Janasse. Aging is in concrete tanks, foudres and neutral French oak demi-muids.