Chateau de Nalys Saintes Pierres de Nalys Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2017
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Dunnuck
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The Saintes Pierres de Nalys is elegant and punchy with seductive aromas of fresh fruits. A wonderful expression of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation with round and generous tannins and lovely frame. Enjoyed young, it is full of richness and freshness.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from tiny yields (the estate was down 40% in 2017), the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Saintes Pierres De Nalys offers a ripe, medium to full-bodied, balanced style as well as lots of classic dark berry fruits, licorice, garrigue, and peppery goodness. Balanced, with a great core of fruit, it’s a softer, more forward, charming wine than the grand vin and is ideal for drinking over the coming decade.
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James Suckling
A grassy and fresh white with roughly 50% clairette, this has lemons and some lightly grassy nuances with a smooth palate that has melon-pastry flavors and smooth texture.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Marked by hints of allspice and clove, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Saintes Pierres delivers classic leather and cherry flavors. It's medium to full-bodied, yet silky and streamlined, well-balanced for its stated 15% alcohol. Drink it over the next 5–8 years.
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Wine Spectator
A traditional style, with a slightly dried edge to the mix of cherry, damson plum and red currant fruit, with a dusting of sandalwood and rooibos tea notes on the finish. Grenache and Syrah.
Other Vintages
2018-
Spectator
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Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Parker
Robert
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Wong
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James
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.
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.
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.