Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Cailloux Cuvée Centenaire 2019
Overview
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The nose is rich and expressive, mixing leather and forest floor with blackcurrant and blackberry. These complex aromas, usually reserved for wine that has aged for a long period of time, are already present. The tannins are mellow, with a roundness in the mouth and an impressively long finish. |
Wine Facts
VITICULTURE: Vines as old as 125 years are planted in clay-rich soil. This blue clay gives the wine its mineral properties and the vineyards’ position guarantees perfect sunshine. The Mistral winds often blowing over the vineyards contribute to the concentration of sugar and aromas in this extraordinary wine.
VINIFICATION: The grapes were harvested by hand on September 17, 2019. After destemming and crushing, the Grenache grapes followed the traditional fermenting process for four weeks in concrete vats. The wine was then aged in the same vats for 18 months. Then, the wine was blended with one barrique of Syrah, from two-year-old Burgundian oak. It was then bottled and spent an additional three months at the winery before being released.
INTERESTING FACT: In 1989 Lucien and André Brunel created a single- vineyard cuvée to celebrate 100 years of planting. Now, Cuvée Centenaire is only produced during exceptional vintages.
FAMILY: One of Châteauneuf’s most revered estates is centuries-old André Brunel, who has been in the region since the 17th century and has been making wine for five generations. Though originally named Domaine Les Cailloux by Lucien Brunel in 1954, its current name is after the fourth-generation owner, André Brunel. Under André’s leadership, the estate expanded rapidly, with vines in the Côtes du Rhône AOC as well as Vins de Pays. In 1971, after André took over, he launched Grenache-dominant Cuvée Centenaire, the estate’s top wine, which solidified André Brunel as a major player in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In addition, the family is leading the charge in the region for eco-friendly farming practices, eschewing chemicals at every turn. André’s son, Fabrice, is now at the helm of this pioneering estate, overseeing their three appellations.
Producer: André Brunel
Region: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône Valley
Country: France
Wine Composition: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah
Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: 3.29 G/L
Residual Sugar: <1 G/L
pH: 3.59
Region: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône Valley
Country: France
Wine Composition: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah
Alcohol: 14.5%
Total Acidity: 3.29 G/L
Residual Sugar: <1 G/L
pH: 3.59
Press Highlights
2019: 96 Pts - James Suckling, Mar 20232019: 95+ Pts - Wine Advocate, May 2022
2017: 95-97 Pts - Wine Advocate, Aug 2019
2016: 97 Pts - Wine Advocate, May 2022
2016: 96 Pts ‘Cellar Selection’ - Wine Enthusiast, Dec 2019
2016: 96 Pts - Wine Spectator, Feb 2020
2015: 97 Pts - Wine Advocate, May 2022