Producer | Famille Isabel Ferrando |
Country | France |
Region | Rhone |
Varietal | Rhone Blend |
Vintage | 2020 |
Sku | 5118 |
Size | 750ml |
Now the flagship of this estate, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is 75% Grenache and the rest Cinsault, Mourvedre, and a little Syrah. Sporting a deep ruby/purple hue, it offers a beautiful array of black raspberry and darker cherry fruit as well as lots of graphite, chalky minerality, Provençal garrigue, and spice. Beautiful on the palate as well, this medium to full-bodied effort has a layered, multi-dimensional mouthfeel, rock-solid underlying structure and concentration, building tannins, and a gorgeous finish. It needs to be forgotten for 2-4 years (although it certainly offers incredible pleasure even today) and will keep for two decades. Tasted twice.
jdIsabel Ferrando informed me during my visit that she planned to eliminate the Reserve Auguste Favier and Collection Charles Giraud bottlings folding those lots and the "tradition" Saint-Prefert Châteauneuf into a single combined wine under the Famille Isabel Ferrando label. The resulting blend she showed as the 2020 Famille Isabel Ferrando Chateauneuf du Pape is a fine effort with layers of cola-like spice and hints of garrigue layered against a lush backdrop of cherries and raspberries. Medium to full-bodied and almost creamy in texture it finishes long silky and mouthwatering. There is some restructuring going on at this estate as Isabel Ferrando plans to unify it and her Isabel Ferrando label under the Famille Isabel Ferrando umbrella. In addition Ferrando informed me that she planned to eliminate the Reserve Auguste Favier and Collection Charles Giraud bottlings folding those lots and the "tradition" Saint-Prefert Châteauneuf into a single combined wine. The resulting red range would then include this "new" Cha^teauneuf du Pape plus the Colombis and F601 bottlings. Almost everything she has done so far in her management of this domaine has turned to gold so consumers should all look forward to the new lineup. Looking back Ferrando opened some older wines to show how they've aged. The 2011 Cha^teauneuf du Pape Blanc was a revelation showing beautifully on this occasion while the 2011 Reserve Auguste Favier and 2011 Collection Charles Giroud continue to hit on all cylinders. These are terrific wines that drink well on release yet easily age for more than a decade. Because of overwhelming demand I expect prices will only go up from here.
Approachable out of the gate with gorgeous red fruit wild strawberry licorice root dusty earth and lavender flavors joined by floral highlights. Beautifully textured and silky on the palate with mineral intensity building on the palate imparting nice persistence and length. A polished yet honest characteristic wine. Grenache Cinsault Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2032. ?K.B.
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