Vintage 2015

The 2015 vintage offered Châteauneuf-du-Pape winemakers a very good spread of climatic phases. Alternating phases of rain and heat occurred at the best times. A very sunny year, better than 2010 and 2011.

The harvest, which reached maturity in excellent conditions, was generous in terms of quantity, which is quite rare in an appellation with low yields. The harvest began at the end of August for the whites and lasted until mid-October for the reds. Fermentation took place ideally and fairly quickly, producing generous, rich, complex and very well-balanced wines.

The Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc 2015 vintage had a very open, drinkable profile from the outset. Their golden-brown colour now accompanies a nose that has opened up to stewed yellow fruit, dried lime blossom and dried fruit, as well as elegant notes of fresh walnut. The palate remains full and generous, with notes of jammy exotic fruit, quince paste and a touch of precious wood, spices and aniseed. Pair with all cheeses, poultry and white meats in cream sauce.

The Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds from the 2015 vintage already showed great expressive and open complexity in their youth. They are well-balanced, greedy, fruity wines, with complex, open aromas from their youth, but built for ageing like the 1990, 1998 and 2010. They are now only at the dawn of their maturity, with a fine tannic structure that is slowly developing a patina, plenty of liveliness and length on the palate. Full-bodied and round, they offer a rich palette of fruity nuances ranging from bean to jammy, with hints of truffle and undergrowth, spices and herbs. They are the perfect accompaniment to a number of grilled or stewed Provençal dishes based on vegetables and meats, as well as washed and bloomy-crust raw-milk cheeses.