The February Installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on 2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. The winning bottle will be opened this Saturday and a Bottle Note will be published the following week. 2005 was…
Chateau de Beaucastel, located in Courthezon in the Southern Rhone Valley, has over 250 acres of organic vineyards. Unlike many Rhone Valley producers, Beaucastel grows all 13 of the grapes permitted in the appellation and the estate uses an unusually high percentage of Mourvèdre in its red wines, usually around 30%, along with 30% Grenache and smaller amounts of Syrah,…
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in the Rhone Valley, was founded in 1898 by Hippolyte Brunier. Located on the highest terrace of the appellation, the domaine was named for an 18th century telegraph relay tower located nearby. Today the 173-acre domaine is run by Daniel and Frederic Brunier, the great grandsons of the founder. Vieux Télégraphe is one of…
Vieux Donjon was formed in 1966 by Marcel Michel. The current iteration came about in 1979 with the marriage of Lucien and Marie José Michel. Both Lucien and Marie José’s parents owned vineyards in the region, and those holdings were combined to form Vieux Donjon. The domaine covers fourteen hectares of vineyards, thirteen planted to red grapes and one planted…
The 2004 Domaine du Pégaü Cuvée Réservée was the winning bottle in the July installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for 45 minutes and served with grilled flank steak. The family of Domaine du Pegau has roots in Châteauneuf-du-Pape dating back to the mid-17th century. The word Pegau refers to a wine jug discovered in the…
The July installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the 2004 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. I will open the winning bottle on July 28th and publish a Bottle Note in early August.…
Vieux Donjon was formed in 1966 by Marcel Michel. The current iteration came about in 1979 with the marriage of Lucien and Marie José Michel. Both Lucien and Marie José’s parents owned vineyards in the region, and those holdings were combined to form Vieux Donjon. The domaine covers fourteen hectares of vineyards, thirteen planted to red grapes and one planted…
Chateau Rayas is one of the most famous estates in Chateauneuf du Pape, in France’s southern Rhone Valley. Founded in the late 19th century by Albert Reynaud, a lawyer and notary from Avignon, the estate is today run Emmanuel Reynaud, the fourth generation of the family to take control of the 56-acre estate with its 37 acres of vineyards. About…
Mas De Boislauzon is a 22 acre estate near Orange, just north of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, in the Southern Rhone Valley. The estate is owned and operated by Daniel and Christine Chaussey, a brother and sister who are the current generation of a family that has owned the estate for six generations. The name of the estate comes from the vineyard where…
The 1998 Vieux Télégraphe was the leading vote getter in the December Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. I decanted the wine for an hour and served with pizza from a local favorite, Zeeks. Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in the Rhone Valley, was founded in 1898 by Hippolyte Brunier. Located on the highest terrace of the appellation, the…