Châteauneuf du Pape, 2020
Simply ravishing. Characterised by ethereal red fruit, this offers voluptuous, ripe but light touch flavours of griotte, damson and cherry – a darker background note of bramble completes the picture. Fine and persistent; silky but bright and with some real bite and lift to the finish. A stunner. From a blend of grapes coming from vines in the Grand Pierre and Pointu sectors just south of Rayas where plantations are 85% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre and the rest a mixture of other permitted co-planted varieties. Whole bunch, spontaneous yeast-fermented and aged in old oak tonneaux for two springs.
critic reviews
If there is anything to quibble with about Eddie Feraud's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape it's that it could be too easy to drink. Vinified in tank and matured in foudre, it's a blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and 5% other varieties. Boasting lovely cherries on the nose, this is beautifully ripe and balanced. Just a complete joy to drink. Full-bodied, supple, creamy and lush, with a lingering finish, it's a terrific wine to enjoy over the next decade or so.
The 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape matured for 18 months in foudre. It offers up aromas of jammy red and black fruits, licorice and dried herbs. Framed by coarse tannins, the wine’s rusticity and lack of finesse prevents this 2020 from obtaining a higher score.