Chapelle St. Theodoric Chateauneuf-Du-Pape La Guigasse 2020
-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
100% Grenache from lieu-dit La Guigasse. Aged in demi-muids.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
On this visit, I slightly preferred the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape La Guigasse to the Le Grand Pin. Also 100% whole-cluster Grenache, it's much the same, but maybe a bit less floral and a bit more concentrated. Roses, herbal tea, blackberries and black cherries appear on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is supple and almost airy in feel yet with intense, lingering flavors. Barrel Sample: (96-98)
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Guigasse is cut from the same cloth, with a big, spicy bouquet of ripe black cherries, Asian spice, Provençal garrigue, and sappy flowers. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, has a great mid-palate, and a seamless texture. It's a big mouthful of classic Southern Rhône goodness that can be drunk today or cellared for 10-15 years. As with the Grand Pin, this is all non-destemmed Grenache that comes from the La Guigasse lieu-dit (also sandy soils) and is brought up all in used demi-muids.
Other Vintages
2021-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker - Decanter
-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
-
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck
-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.
According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.
Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.
The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.