Domaine de la Mordoree Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Reine des Bois 2020
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker - Decanter
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Intense and deep ruby. Aromas of red and black fruits, violet and licorice. The palate is dense, fat and rounded with a long, fruity length
Pair with red meats, sauce dishes, venison, and soft cheeses.
Blend: 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 3% Counoise, 2% Vaccarese
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
TThe 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Reine Des Bois is a bigger, richer, more structured wine, which is normal. A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, and the rest equal parts Syrah and Vaccarese, its deeper ruby/purple hue is followed by a brilliant perfume of blackberries, black raspberries, ground pepper, violets, and new saddle leather. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with building tannins and great overall balance, it's another wine that shows the style of the vintage brilliantly. It has plenty of up-front charm, but this beauty will evolve nicely for 15-20 years. Best after 2022.
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James Suckling
What a beautifully ripe mulberry aroma this Chateauneuf has! An imposing but stunningly fine tannin structure neatly supports the richness and concentration on the full-bodied palate. Very long, creamy and dry finish with a pronounced licorice note that pulls you inexorably back for more. A complex blend based on grenache. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reine des Bois is a more charming, seductive wine than the more concentrated and tannic 2019. Cherries, stone fruit and a hint of garrigue mark the nose, while the full-bodied palate is supple, nicely balanced and harmonious, showing impressive length and ample concentration on the finish.
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Decanter
Full-bodied, generous and full of juicy fruit. Ripe and exuberant, an expansive mass of ripe tannin. Definite sweetness to the mid-palate and a sense of potency. Tannins will take time to soften, but this will make an enjoyably flamboyant style when it's ready. The most well-balanced Reine des Bois in many years. From lieu-dits Bois de la Ville, La Crau and La Nerthe. Fermented and aged in 80% stainless steel, 20% old barriques.
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Coming from a long line of winegrowers, the Domaine de la Mordoree was created in 1986 with the philosophy of growing the best possible wines. To that purpose, the best plots and the finest varieties have been chosen, and the winemakers implement cultivation methods that aim at really preserving the environment, while combining tradition and modernity.
In the course of time, 55 hectares of vineyards have been grown, spread over 35 different plots and 8 communes. This division comes from the decision of choosing the best "terroirs" with a wide variety of microclimates.
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.