Wine: Chateauneuf-du-Pape ‘Closerie de Vaudieu’
Producer: Chateau de Vaudieu
Country: France
Region: Rhone / Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Vintage: 2019
Style: Red
Blend: Grenache 55%, Syrah 33%, Cinsault 7%, Mourvedre 5%
ABV: 14%
Size: 75cl
Vegan
 
Notes: ‘Closerie de Vaudieu’, the property’s second wine, is a blend of 55% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 7% Cinsault & 5% Mourvèdre & is excellent value. Deep ruby red in colour, with a black cherry core. This wine has lively berry fruits on the nose, with a touch of liquorice & a hint of black pepper. On the palate, it is full-bodied & the ripe tannins gently support the cherry, cassis & herb character on the finish. 12 months oak.
 
Producer Info: The 18th century Château de Vaudieu has been in the Bréchet family for over 50 years & today is run by Laurent Bréchet, the grandson of the original owner. The name ‘Vaudieu’ originates from ‘Vallée de Dieu’, or ‘Valley of God’, a reference to the beauty of the area around Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Vaudieu has 70 hectares of vineyards in total, of which 60 hectares are planted with red varieties on prized sites that are located just east of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, neighbouring the vineyards of the famed Château Rayas. Twenty-three separate plots have been identified, each of which is harvested at its optimum maturity. The soils vary greatly – from sandy beds & calcareous hillsides, to raised terraces of the famous ‘galets roulés’ pudding stones – & offer huge potential for complexity in the wines. The fruit from the sandier soils lends aromatic elegance to the blend, while that from the ‘galets’ gives power & intensity.