Friday, 13 April 2012

A varietal Chateauneuf



The appellation of Chateuaneuf-du-Pape is famous for allowing 13 varieties of grapes (including both red and white) into its wines. In fact, in the latest (2009) edition of the AOC rules, the different coloured versions of the various grapes are listed as separate varieties, making the grape count a grand total of eighteen. Before 2009, there was only Grenache Noir and Blanc, but the latest version included a separate listing of the pink Grenache Gris. However as there is no differentiation of the grapes into principal and accessory varieties, not a stipulation about minimum or maximum allowable proportions, it is in fact possible to have varietal Chateauneuf wines.

The red wines of Chateauneuf are dominated by Grenache (noir) and some estates (like Domaine de Marcoux above) produce a monovarietal Grenache wine. This wine was bought for a tasting I organized for the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists' Annual Scientific Meeting, when I explored the different regions of France with a the dominant variety associated with that region.

BTW, if you are looking for a Chateauneuf wine that includes all the 13 varieties, Chateau Beaucastel is the wine for you.

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