Châteauneuf-du-Pape Xavier red 2006 (6x75 cl)

Vins rouges Millésime : 2006 La caisse TTC : 126 € La bouteille TTC : 21 €

BLEND: grenache (45%), mourvèdre (25%) syrah (15%), cinsault, vaccarese, counoise...
AGE OF GRAPEVINES: grenaches are at least 90 years old, mourvèdre 75 years, syrah 25 years, and counoise and vaccarese are " out of age "!

YIELDS: 28 hectolitres per hectare on average, manually harvested

WINE MAKING: syrah and mourvedre raised in french oak casks (1/3 new, 1/3 of one wine, 1/3 of two wines), grenaches in wooden conic tank, which allows to mark them lightly and soften up the existent tannins of very ripe grapes. More than a year of vat allows a natural sedimentation, making filtering useless.

COMMENT: Main characteristics in the nose which meet in mouth: red and black fruits, spices (grey pepper, green pepper, clove, nutmeg); balsamic notes: garrigue, laurel, thyme, rosemary; light venison (characteristics of mourvèdre). A very classical châteauneuf, helped by an easy vintage. Nice saltiness brought by old grenaches. The elegance of its tannins does not impose a long ageing to this Châteauneuf: Already balanced and good to taste today, its peak could be in 2010, without decline before 2018.

SERVICE: at 15-17°C (59-62°F).