2013 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Château La Nerthe, Rhône

2013 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Château La Nerthe, Rhône

Product: 20131114746
 
2013 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Château La Nerthe, Rhône

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Description

The relative shift in the balance of power from Grenache to Syrah and Mourvèdre has resulted in a 2013 that is darkly coloured, rich and softly spicy. The trademark Nerthe polish is by no means absent, but there is perhaps a little more black fruit than sometimes, and a more authoritative finish.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

Christian Voeux is better qualified than most when he compares 2013 to the most lauded vintages of the late 20th century. Before taking on the prize job at La Nerthe five years ago, Christian was the highly influential winemaker at Château Mont- Redon for 25 years. The prospect of low yields does not rule out ‘vendanges verte’, he muses, in the same way that cooler temperatures do not mean that the wines will be lacking in structure—QED. A superb 2013, La Nerthe’s classic Châteauneuf du Pape exhibits ample ripe blackberry, sweet cherries, licorice, new leather and spice. Made from 43% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 22% Mourvedre and the balance Cinsault, it spent 12 months in close to equal parts small barrel and larger foudre. Enjoy this medium-bodied, supple, elegant and downright pretty Châteauneuf over the coming decade.
Jeb Dunnuck - Wine Advocate Issue#215 Oct 2014

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate89+/100
I think a small step back from the 2014, the 2013 Chteauneuf du Pape is still a rock solid effort in this difficult vintage. Offering up plenty of sweet black cherry and raspberry-styled fruits, spice, leather and peppery Provenal herbs, its medium-bodied on the palate and has a firm underlying core of tannin that will need a year or two in the cellar to integrate. It will be one of the longer-lived wines in the vintage.
Jeb Dunnuck - 30/10/2015 Read more

About this WINE

Chateau la Nerthe

Chateau la Nerthe

Château la Nerthe is a stunning, 500-year-old property becoming ‘one to watch’ in recent years. Working organically since 1998, its 57 parcels on various soils and expositions produce a seamless, complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The care taken in both vineyard and cellar has resulted in seriously impressive wines. This property is, absolutely, a worthy rival to the likes of Château de Beaucastel. Winemaker Rémi Jean is as inspiring as the terroir – his understanding of the multiple plots and attention to detail is impressive.

Château la Nerthe’s remarkable terroir produces beautiful wines, year-in, year-out. Rocky, clay and sandy soils combined with natural springs imbue the wines with wonderful freshness and minerality. Rémi says Grenache gives his red blends “magic”, Mourvèdre brings complexity and Syrah provides structure. The very special top white cuvée, Clos de Beauvenir, comes from a single, walled plot: an old castle garden in front of the historic château.

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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.

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Southern Rhône Blend

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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