Clos Saint Jean - Châteauneuf-du-Pape 'Vieilles Vignes' 2019 (1.5L)
Price: $109.99
| Producer | Clos Saint Jean |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhône Valley |
| Varietal | Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsaut, Vaccarèse, Muscardin |
| Vintage | 2019 |
| Sku | 206296 |
| Size | 1.5L |
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Clos Saint Jean Description
Clos Saint Jean is a 41 hectare estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape run by brothers Vincent and Pascal Maurel. Consid-ered by many critics and wine-writers as the preeminent estate espousing the modern style of winemaking in Châ-teauneuf, this cellar is one of the oldest in the region hav-ing been founded in 1900 by the great-great-grandfather of Vincent and Pascal, Edmund Tacussel. A short time after its founding and well before the AOP of Chateauneuf-du-Pape was created in 1923, Edmund began bottling estate wines in 1910.
The various vineyards of Clos Saint Jean are located pri-marily in the region of Le Crau. This plateau is perhaps the
most iconic of the many terroirs of Châteauneuf-duPape iron-rich red clays topped with galets. While about 60% of their vineyards are located here, specifically in the licu-dits of Côteau de Saint Jean and Cabane de Saint-Jean, another 40% are located in alluvial clay and sandy soils adjacent to the plateau. They also own a small parcel of Mourvedre in the lieu-dit of Bois-Dauphin near Château Rayas planted on sandy, limestone-rich soils.
The farming at Clos Saint Jean is fully sustainable due to the warm and dry climate which obviates the need for chemical inputs. Vincent and Pascal employ organic methods for pest control, mainly pheromones to prevent pests from taking up residence in their vines a process called amusingly enough in French, confusion sexuelle. The vines are also worked manually and harvest is conducted in several passes entirely by hand.
Vinous: 93 Points
Stating a whopping 16% alcohol on the label, the 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape follows the lines of intensely concentrated and complex red wines that Clos Saint-Jean followers are constantly raving about. It has an edge over the 2020, bursting from the glass with pungent aromas of blood orange, cooked red and black fruits, dried lavender, licorice, mint and cured meat. Ripe tannins give structure to the full-bodied palate, which is neatly balanced by bright acidity.
Wine Advocate: 93-95 Points
Intoxicating scents of ripe plums, dried spices and dark chocolate emerge on the nose of the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes, a rich, full-bodied effort that's undeniably impressive as a pre-bottling sample. Dense and concentrated, it somehow manages to retain a sense of freshness, perhaps the influence of the long, anise-tinged finish.
