Domaine des Senechaux Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling - Vinous
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Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
The intense nose opens with a beautiful aroma of ripe jammy “raspberry-crushed
strawberry” fruit and Grenache spices. On the palate, the 2020 vintage oers great power and volume, with velvety tannins. The aromas of red fruits are complemented by hints of licorice and sweet spices. The finish is ample, round , and with a woody touch which gives a better complexity.
Pair with confit lamb with lemon and rosemary.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I loved the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape, and this is a wine I’d be thrilled to own. Sporting a ruby/plum color as well as a terrific notes of sweet red fruits, herbes de Provence, sweet spice, and garrigue, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a light, elegant mouthfeel, soft tannins, and a great finish. It’s not massive or powerful, but it’s beautifully balanced, elegant, and nuanced. Drink this terrific 2020 any time over the coming 10-12 years. The blend is 54% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre, and it was partially destemmed and brought up in a mix of foudre, older barrels, and concrete.
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James Suckling
Here’s a powerful and very distinctive Chateauneuf with tons of black olive and black pepper character, plus notes of sage and baking spices. The generous fine tannins are already beautifully integrated, and the structure is underplayed but deftly supports the full body. Very fresh stony finish. A cuvee of 54% grenache, 25% syrah and 21% mourvedre. Drink or hold.
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Vinous
The 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is showing well in this vintage. It is a delicious blend of 54% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 21% Mourvèdre that aged for one year in a combination of foudre, old oak barriques and concrete vats. It mingles aromas of juicy red fruits, a pinch of mint, dried herbs and iodine. Showing absolutely no hard edges, it seamlessly moves across the palate, concluding with a bright finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
This Cazes family outpost has turned out a pleasant 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape, even if it seems to lack a bit of depth and concentration after the past several (exceptional) vintages. Nicely ripened cherries and a touch of green olive appear on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate comes across as creamy, lush and easy to drink.
Other Vintages
2019-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator - Decanter
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Wine
Spectator
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.