Domaine des Senechaux Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2018
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
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Parker
Robert
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Pale yellow with hints of green. The aromas are intense with white flowers, especially acacia. Notes of peach and pear with exotic fruit notes. Soft oakiness with light spiced notes and hints of vanilla. Full, with a lovely mineral quality.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The medium gold-colored 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc is based largely on one-third each of Clairette, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc, with a splash of Bourboulenc. It has terrific depth and richness in its pineapple, brioche, honeysuckle, and salty mineral-like aromas and flavors. These carry to a medium-bodied white that has beautiful depth of fruit balanced by terrific acidity and tension. It's a beautiful white from this team.
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Wine Enthusiast
Fresh apricot and quince flavors are edged sweetly by marzipan and pastry. Vinified primarily in stainless steel and with no new oak, it's a plump, juicy blend of Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc. The finish lingers on a pleasant murmur of tea tannins. At peak now–2025 but should hold longer.
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Wine Spectator
Rich in feel, but bright and pure as star fruit, white peach and honeysuckle notes are seamlessly entwined, ending with a creamy texture and lingering acacia hint. Very stylish. Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc. Drink now.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 35% Roussanne, 30% Clairette, 27% Grenache Blanc and 8% Bourboulenc, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is made in a mix of older barrels and stainless steel. Hints of tangerine, peach and pineapple mark the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is silky in texture, with a slightly chalky note on the finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.
Other Vintages
2021-
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Enthusiast
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Dunnuck
Jeb
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Suckling
James -
Spectator
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
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Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
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Parker
Robert
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
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.