Domaine Paul Autard Cote Ronde Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1998
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The Côte Ronde parcel is vinified separately and is aged 16 months in 100% new French oak barrels. It is an intensely concentrated, lush-textured wine with vivid dark fruit, spice, chocolate and oak flavors. Autard only makes this cuvée in top years.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Fantastic red. Big-bodied, velvety and suave, with mocha, spice and gorgeous ripe fruit, it walks a thin line between modern and traditional, delivering mineral and terroir quality thanks to its great concentration. The fruit and tannins are so sweet.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Drinking perfectly and possessing classic aromas of mature, garrigue-laced Grenache fruit, saddle leather, truffle, spice cabinet, and licorice, the 1998 Domaine Paul Autard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée La Cote Ronde shows not a hint of its modern elevage and displays nothing but pure, southern Rhône character in both its aromas and palate feel. Full-bodied and still beautifully fruited and rich, with an almost Burgundian silkiness and polish, this superb ’98 is fully mature (it held up and improved over the evening), yet should continue to evolve gracefully.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
It often has an abundance of pain grille and smoky, oaky notes in its youth, but that has all been integrated into the wine at age 12. This wine is fully mature, displaying beautiful, sweet notes of black currants, kirsch, lavender, Provencal herbs, and a subtle hint of graphite.
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The story of the Autard family is the story of all great appellations, in that it is the story of the evolution of expertise -- the sum of first-hand experiences, observations, experiments, inventions, and discoveries, in this case specific to Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and the Autard property in particular -- as it is passed down from generation to generation.
The Autard family effort began in Courthézon, with an old farm-turned-vineyard; then in 2005 the enterprise took a giant step forward, with the construction of a new cave that permits vast improvements at every stage in the winemaking cycle.
The Autard family effort began in Courthézon, with an old farm-turned-vineyard; then in 2005 the enterprise took a giant step forward, with the construction of a new cave that permits vast improvements at every stage in the winemaking cycle.In any undertaking that spans the generations, it is connoisseurship -- in the case of winemaking, a multiple matter of climate, land, vines, tools, and techniques -- that is the cornerstone...
Jean-Paul, as the heir of this expertise, brings to it his own ideas and intuitions, in order to enhance as well as perpetuate the Autard domaine’s well-deserved prestige. Jean-Paul, as the heir of this expertise, brings to it his own ideas and intuitions, in order to enhance as well as perpetuate the Autard domaine’s well-deserved prestige.
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.