Domaine Berthet-Rayne Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge 2021

Alcohol: 14,5%

Grape(s): 65% grenache, 5% syrah, 20% mourvedre and 10% cinsault

Localization: Chateauneuf, Rhône Valley, France

Tasting notes: Aromas of plums, cassis, and cherries presented in a medium bodied, spicy style with beautifully pure fruit, a savory mouthfeel, moderate but ripe, sweet tannin, and a long finish. It should drink nicely for a decade or more.

The Domain: In our family for 4 generations, this family estate cultivates 22 hectares, primarily Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The vineyard is run along traditional lines: the soil is cultivated and ploughed in an eco-friendly way (no weedkillers); the vines are treated in a natural way with specially adapted tools. Our grape varieties are Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault for the reds and Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussane for the white wines. We achieve 35 hl per hectare and our grapes are picked and all sorted by hand. The vinification process benefits from modern equipment: a light pressing and destalking for certain vintages; fermentation carried out at automatically regulated temperatures-all gives our wines a more delicate and fruity flavor and allows them to age well. 

After fermentation, the wine is left to settle and then decanted into vats. Certain vintages are aged in casks for up to one year before being bottled. Bottles are stored at a constant temperature of 15 degree C. Our very best wines, sold in distinctive bottles with the Chateauneuf-du-Pape coat of arms, develop their complex aromas and flavors after 3 to 5 years, reaching their full maturity and complexity after 7 years. They can be kept for up to 12 years. The white Chateauneuf-du-Pape is made from 40% Clairette, 40% Bourboulenc and 20% Grenache Blanc. The ordinary red Chateauneuf-du-Pape is made from 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre and 10% Cinsault. The cuvee “Vieilli en Fut” is nearly the same blend, but matured in oak. The Cuvee Cadiac is the most complex of the wines made from 50% Grenache and 50% Mourvedre normally aged in oak casks for around one year; because of the high percentage of Mourvedre, it must be kept for a few years.