Chateau de Nalys Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Grand Vin 2018
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Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Pale youthful gold, clear and brilliant color. On the nose intense notes of white flowers and citrus with a lovely vanilla note. The palate has breadth, elegance and length. A noble wine, elegant and very expressive.
Pair with lobster, fish with a beurre blanc sauce, aged goat cheese.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc looks to be the finest white to date and unquestionably ranks with the finest whites in the vintage. Beautiful notes of crushed rocks, honeysuckle, quince, and spice all flow to a medium to full-bodied, balanced, powerful white that’s flawlessly balanced. It’s one of the rich yet elegant whites that can drink nicely on its own or shine on the dinner table.
Barrel Sample: 94-96 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Mainly Roussanne and about half barrel fermented, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Vin Blanc is a plump, silky-textured effort. Toast accents honeyed tangerine, melon and fig notes in this full-bodied, opulent wine. Without much track record for this cuvée, my guess at the drinking window is based on the variety, winemaking and sheer concentration levels.
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Wine Spectator
Lush in in feel, with lemon curd, glazed pear, quince and acacia notes backed by a subtle hint of creamed melon on the finish. Drink now through 2023.
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Wine Enthusiast
This smoky, spicy blend of Roussanne, Clairette and Grenache Blanc introduces itself with heady aromas of Bourbon barrels and charred toast. Vinified in oak (18% new barriques), it's marked with penetrating quince and pear flavors. It feels a bit flamboyant in youth, but should gain nuance from 2023–2030.
Cellar Selection
Other Vintages
2020-
Dunnuck
Jeb -
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Wilfred -
Dunnuck
Jeb - Decanter
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Parker
Robert
Since their very first vintage bottled under the Guigal name, in 1946, the Guigal family has produced a Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The terroirs of Nalys realize a dream spanning three generations to join this leading prestigious and historic appellation. A property of 125 contiguous acres, Nalys is comprised of three spectacular plots within three of the best vineyards in the appellation: the famous “La Crau”, Nalys, and “Bois Sénéchal”. Already listed in regional land registers at the end of the 16th century, Chateau de Nalys is one of the oldest properties in the appellation, and begins a new chapter in the hands of Guigal.
Full-bodied and flavorful, white Rhône blends originate from France’s Rhône Valley. Today these blends are also becoming popular in other regions. Typically some combination of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier form the basis of a white Rhône blend with varying degrees of flexibility depending on the exact appellation. Somm Secret—In the Northern Rhône, blends of Marsanne and Roussanne are common but the south retains more variety. Marsanne, Roussanne as well as Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picpoul and Ugni Blanc are typical.
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.