Reviews
Technical Details
- WinemakerPhilippe Cambie
- CountryFrance
- RegionRhône
- Sub-RegionSouthern Rhône
- AppellationChâteauneuf-du-Pape
- Alcohol16%
Clos Saint-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2021
Price drops to $39.95 per bottle when you purchase 3 or more bottles!
Clos Saint-Jean is more than just a rockstar of the Rhône – this estate is one of the finest anywhere in the world. Year in and year out, we’re absolutely over the moon to taste and offer out these impeccable wines, and while many struggled with the cool and zippy vintage of 2021 – Clos Saint-Jean may have produced some of their most compelling wines ever. This historic property helped change CdP forever when they began bottling estate wines over a century ago before the region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape officially existed. Known for their modern, clean, and voluptuous style – Clos St. Jean works wonders with grenache, syrah, and mourvedre – and their old vine plots are the envy of many CdP stalwarts.
The legendary Philippe Cambie was the winemaker here – with this harvest his very last before passing away in December of 2021...and while he didn’t get to see this cuvee finished, you can be certain his wisdom was never far from the mind as every decision was made. Per usual, the grenache was fermented and aged exclusively in tank – avoiding oak contact to maintain freshness and vivacity – while the mourvedre, syrah, and other grapes are reared in barrel and oak vats, to round out the final product and amplify the glorious spice notes found here. It’s a stunningly complex, focused, and pure expression of Châteauneuf-du-Pape that is sure to delight, with an intensity of raspberry and red currant fruit to meld beautifully with the myriad spice box and tobacco elements. Ripe but never heavy, with classic garrigue and elegance wound through its very bones – it simply doesn’t get more delectable than this!
“This may well be one of the most exciting addresses not only in France, but in the entire wine world.... In short, these wines are not to be missed!” – Robert Parker
PAIRING IDEAS: A proper pub feast will highlight this fantastically. I’m thinking bangers & mash (sausages and mashed potatoes), with a stout, onion, and brown mustard gravy. All the better if it is cold and dreary out.