2013 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Arioso, Rotem & Mounir Saouma, Rhône
Critics reviews
Brilliant ruby. High-pitched, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh dark berries and pungent flowers show outstanding clarity and lift. Smooth, sweet and energetic on the palate, offering intense blackberry and floral pastille flavors sharpened by an exotic Asian spice flourish. The extremely long, focused finish is given shape by smooth tannins that sneak in slowly.
Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (April 2016)
Beguiling, with Lapsang souchong tea, singed cinnamon, clove and warm cassis aromas leading the way for a rich and silky core of crushed cherry and raspberry fruit flavors. Everything glides together through the refined, incense-filled finish.
Drink 2020 - 2035
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (September 2017)
Tasting like a Grand Cru from Chambertin, the 2013 Châteauneuf-Du-Pape Arioso is 100% Grenache from the Pignan plateau that spent three years in barrel, on lees, before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Black cherry, forest floor, spring flowers, damp earth, and spice all flow to a medium-bodied, ethereally textured, seamless 2013 that opens up beautifully with time in the glass. Again, this is unquestionably a Burgundy lover’s Châteauneuf, and it shines more for its nuance, elegance, and complex more so than outright power and richness. With bright, yet integrated acidity and ample, sweet tannin, it’s a sensational 2013 and one of the best from the vintage.
This domaine is owned by Burgundy-based Mounir and Rotem Saouma, and you can certainly find more than passing resemblances to high-class Burgundies in these wines. They prefer long elevages, with the wines spending plenty of time on skins in amphoras and casks. These are expensive, yet beautiful wines.
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (October 2017)
About this WINE
Rotem and Mounir Saouma
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.
Grenache/Garnacha
Grenache (Noir) is widely grown and comes in a variety of styles. Believed to originate in Spain, it was, in the late 20th century, the most widely planted black grape variety in the world. Today it hovers around seventh in the pecking order. It tends to produce very fruity, rich wines that can range quite widely in their level of tannin.
In many regions – most famously the Southern Rhône, where it complements Syrah and Mourvèdre, among other grapes – it adds backbone and colour to blends, but some of the most notable Châteauneuf du Pape producers (such as Château Rayas) make 100 percent Grenache wines. The grape is a component in many wines of the Languedoc (where you’ll also find its lighter-coloured forms, Grenache Gris and Blanc) and is responsible for much southern French rosé – taking the lead in most Provence styles.
Found all over Spain as Garnacha Tinta (spelt Garnaxa in Catalonia), the grape variety is increasingly detailed on wine labels there. Along with Tempranillo, it forms the majority of the blend for Rioja’s reds and has been adopted widely in Navarra, where it produces lighter styles of red and rosado (rosé). It can also be found operating under a pseudonym, Cannonau, in Sardinia.
Beyond Europe, Grenache is widely planted in California and Australia, largely thanks to its ability to operate in high temperatures and without much water. Particularly in the Barossa Valley, there are some extraordinary dry-farmed bush vines, some of which are centuries old and produce wines of startling intensity.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Brilliant ruby. High-pitched, mineral-tinged aromas of fresh dark berries and pungent flowers show outstanding clarity and lift. Smooth, sweet and energetic on the palate, offering intense blackberry and floral pastille flavors sharpened by an exotic Asian spice flourish. The extremely long, focused finish is given shape by smooth tannins that sneak in slowly.
Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (April 2016)
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