2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Domaine des Sénéchaux, Rhône
Critics reviews
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 31/10/2012
(Jancis Robinson & Julia Harding MW - www.jancisrobinson.com - 20 Dec 2011)
(Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - Oct 2011)
About this WINE
Domaine des Senechaux
Domaine des Sénéchaux is an excellent example of how a large concern – in this case the Cazes family of Château Lynch-Bages in Bordeaux – should manage its purchase by investing as and where necessary. They have done this without forsaking the historical essence of the domaine, personified by longstanding régisseur Bernard Tranchecoste. Domaine des Sénéchaux dates from the 14th century, making it one of the oldest wineries of the region. It spans 26 hectares across Châteauneuf-du-Pape, 23 of which are planted with red varieties, the remainder white. Their main holdings are on the south-westerly slopes of the Bois Sénéchaux, just to the east of the town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Here, some of their Grenache vines are as old as 90 years old. Production remains very traditional, and they retain a simple two-wine offering. Largely, grapes are de-stalked and new oak is avoided in favour of concrete, foudres and second-use Bordeaux (Lynch Bages) barrels.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The most celebrated village of the Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the birthplace of the now indispensable French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system – imperfect though it may be. Compared to the Northern Rhône, the vineyards here are relatively flat and often feature the iconic galet pebbles – the precise benefits of which are a source of much debate. Minimum alcohol levels required by the AOC are the highest in France, but at 12.5% it is well below the natural generosity of Grenache, which only achieves its full aromatic potential when it is fully ripe and laden with the resultant high sugars. Syrah and Mourvèdre contribute the other defining elements in the blend, adding pepper, savoury spice and structure to the decadent Grenache. There are a further 10 permitted red grape varieties which can be used to adjust the “seasoning”. Of the five white varieties permitted, it is Grenache Noir’s sibling – predictably perhaps – Grenache Blanc, which dominates, though Roussanne shows a great deal of promise when handled well, notably at Château de Beaucastel.
Southern Rhône Blend
The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.
The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.
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Description
The blend in the 2010 is Grenache (55%), Syrah ( 24%) Mourvedre ( 20%) and whatever percentage is left is made up of Cinsault and Vaccarese. Ripe exuberant strawberry fruit is evidenced as always, but now there is more depth, with notes of sousbois and bitter chocolate form the Mourvèdre lending a pleasing weight to the back palate.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012
The eponymous old men continue to adorn the label, redolent of the Burgers of Calais, patient and civilized. Our patience with Sénéchaux has paid enormous dividends over recent years under the stewardship of the Cazes of Lynch Bages. Winemaker Bernard Tranchecoste bemoans the short harvest, but this can partly be attributed to the vendanges vertes in the vineyard, an additional qualitative statement after coulure severely reduced the Grenache crop earlier in the season.
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