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NOTES
Jean and Michel Gonnet combine the rich flavours their 40 year old vines produce with modern vinification practices, resulting in concentrated wines that have an elegance and freshness that is uncharacteristic of some more traditional, cloying Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Their top red and white cuvée is the Cuvée Etienne Gonnet, named after their late father. The former is a 50/50 blend of barriques fermented Roussanne and the standard white cuvée. The grapes are harvested early enough to retain acidity giving a fresh, cream pear-scented wine that is one of Châteauneuf’s most celebrated whites. The latter is a sublime modern style Southern Rhône with plenty of fruit and vivacity. It is still quite deep and complex, made from the oldest vines on this 30 hectare Estate and aged for 12 months in new oak barriques.
TASTING NOTES
A nose of spiced hedgerow fruits leads to a palate that reveals a gentle, mouthfilling nature. More forward than some, but there is an unforced sense of harmony. Appealing, peppery dark cherry fruit, garrigue and liquorice nuances linger, with fine-grained tannins creating an impressive texture and an undeniable sense of elegance.
REVIEWS
The blend comprises 70% Grenache – from 50 year old vines – with 10% each of Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre. Unusually the Syrah is fermented using a method approaching that of carbonic maceration, with whole, lightly crushed grapes passed into vats filled with carbon dioxide. The wine sees malolactic, and between six and nine months en foudre, before bottling. 89 Points, Wine Spectator Magazine
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