Chateau de Nalys Chateauneuf-du-Pape Grand Vin 2016
Winemaker Notes
Deep, dark and dense red color. An intense nose of red and black berries and spice. A beautiful composition, with silky tannins, power and elegance. Expressive, noble and complete.
Pair with red meats either grilled or cooked in sauces, game birds, or aged cheeses.
Blend: 59% Grenache, 32% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 3% Counoise, 1% Vaccarèse
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesDestined to become Nalys's new flagship (unless the white version steals the show), the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Vin is a blend of 59% Grenache, 32% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, 3% Counoise and 1% Vaccarèse. It's full-bodied and velvety, offering hints of vanilla and sandalwood, but there also are layers of dark cherry fruit. Subtle notes of cinnamon, clove and allspice add interest to the long, silky finish. It's an auspicious debut for the Guigal team.
Very rich, multilayered Châteauneuf with ripe red-plum and dark-berry aromas. The palate has such intense and fresh, juicy-fruit drive. Long and focused finish. Drink or hold.
Marcel Guigal and his son Philippe bought this estate in 2017, adding 148 acres of prime Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards to their extensive Rhône Valley holdings. At the time of the sale, the 2016s had already been harvested, but the Guigals finished the blending and aging, holding the wine for 18 months in a combination of barrels (30 percent) and concrete (70 percent) before bottling. It’s an elegant Châteauneuf, sleek in its clean, silky fruit, with a growl of earthy, licorice-tinged tannins that give it length and gravity.
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.
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.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.